Teacher Arrested In Homewood; Community Activists Accuse Police Of Overreacting
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- About two dozen people gathered Wednesday night outside the Pittsburgh Zone 5 Police Station after an incident on Kelly Street in Homewood where there was a meeting of a group called the Community Empowerment Association.
The meeting, which ironically focused on public safety and improving police-community relations, was wrapping up and freelance reporter Rossano Stewart, of the Pittsburgh Courier, and public school teacher, Dennis Henderson, were outside talking.
Rossano says a police car drove by, made a U-turn, and then the officer came out of his patrol car and confronted the two men.
Things got heated, according to Rossano, and they were pushed to the ground, handcuffed and the officer called for backup.
More than a dozen police cars then showed up.
Later, when a crowd gathered outside the Zone 5 station, Pittsburgh City Councilman Rev. Ricky Burgess and Public Safety Director Michael Huss tried to ease tensions and calm people down.
Huss said it was too early to say if police overreacted to the situation.
Huss and Burgess plan to hold meetings in the days ahead to take a closer look at what happened in Homewood and try to improve community relations with police.
Rossano was released from custody, but Rev. Burgess said Henderson was arrested.
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