EAST LANSING, Mich — The East Lansing Police Department has released additional body-worn camera footage related to two of the 10 arrests during Michigan State University's Welcome Weekend.
- Police used pepper spray to break up a fight outside Dave's Hot Chicken in East Lansing.
- Two men in their early 20s were arrested and charged with disturbing the peace.
- The incident was one of 52 service calls ELPD responded to during Welcome Weekend.
In the newly released footage, officers are seen responding to a crowd outside Dave's Hot Chicken shortly before 2 a.m. on August 24.
WATCH: East Lansing police respond to Welcome Weekend disturbance
Officers can be heard in the video commanding people to move back: "Hey, hey. Police get back. police get back."
According to the East Lansing Police Department, 21-year-old Lonnie Smith and 22-year-old Mason Wood ignored repeated attempts to stop and disperse, and continued to engage in a physical altercation.
The video shows an officer using what's commonly known as pepper spray to deescalate the situation.
"Bottom line is you were surrounded by police. You were told to stop three times. You didn't stop. None of you guys stopped so everyone got sprayed," an officer can be heard saying in the footage.
Smith and Wood were arrested and taken to the East Lansing Jail. Smith was charged with disturbing the public peace by engaging in a fight or brawl in a public space. Wood faces the same charge along with an additional count of resisting or obstructing a police officer in the performance of lawful duties.
In a statement, ELPD Chief Jennifer Brown said, "We recognize the public's concern regarding use of force incidents. Transparency and accountability are priorities for our agency, and we are committed to keeping the community informed as appropriate."
This incident was one of 52 service calls the East Lansing Police Department responded to during Welcome Weekend.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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