Officer Won’t Face Charges After Breaking Up Fight At The Fair

Yakima County Prosecutor Joe Brusic has made the decision not to charge a Yakima Police officer who he says push-kicked a juvenile while trying to break up a fight at the Central Washington State Fair on September 23rd. 31-year-old officer Ian Cole was suspended after the incident while the department conducted an investigation. Brusic says after viewing all the reports Cole will not be charged with an assault. "I believe based upon the law and the evidence and what he was facing as well as other law enforcement officers at the time the force was lawful that he used in terms of controlling the situation and making sure public safety was maintained."
Brusic says the people who were fighting in the midway section of the fair failed to comply with the officers demands to stop fighting and get on the ground. Two people kept fighting so the officers used pepper spray on those two individuals. Brusic says Officer Cole then used a push kick to force a juvenile to the ground. Brusic says the officer was correct in his action in trying to break up the fight and take control of the situation and as a result will not face any charges.