RICHMOND, Va. — New body camera video obtained by CBS 6 shows the moments leading up to a Richmond sheriff's deputy pepper spraying a teenage fan at a Turnstile concert on Brown's Island last month. The video also provides perspective from the fan's parents and backstage crews in the aftermath of the incident, all of whom expressed concern about what happened.
Richmond Sheriff Antionette Irving provided the footage in response to a public records request. The footage includes three clips from a body camera worn by an officer who was not involved in the pepper spray incident.
Witnesses previously told CBS 6 the incident happened as the band was inviting people onto the stage, which they described as a normal part of the show.
The body cam video shows some other fans joining the band on the stage without issue just before pepper spray was used.
Watch the Videos Below
A man who seemed to be directing fans how to access the stage told another deputy, "they're good, they're good."
Video then appears to show the fan who was ultimately sprayed being lifted over the barrier just seconds before he was sprayed in the face.
Cell phone video did not appear to show any warnings given prior to the spray being deployed.
It's not clear in the video what immediately happened next, but an employee with the fire department was seen shortly after heading in the direction of the fan.
A different video worn by an investigating officer later showed a conversation with the fan and his parents. It was revealed that the fan was 15 years old. CBS 6 blurred their identities since the subject is a minor.
Describing the incident to the officer, the teen said he crowd surfed to the front row, as many other people were doing, before being sprayed.
“I got shot with, like— I thought it was a beer or something, because people were going crazy the whole time. My face started burning. I couldn't see anything, and then I went off to the side, yelled 'pepper spray,' because that's what I thought it was, and it ended up being that," he explained.
In the body cam video, he appeared out of breath, was seen pouring water on himself, and said he was hurting. His father then explained the moment he found out what happened to his son.
"We were towards the back. They were up towards the front for most of the show. And the show ends, and his phone is calling me, and it's the [expletive] bassist from Turnstile who somehow got his phone and is like trying to get me to where my son is, and I can't fathom why. And then I get there and he is laying in the fetal position, pepper sprayed. I don't understand," the father said.
Another clip of video also showed what appeared to be a conversation between the officer and backstage crews.
“The parents are furious. They’re probably going to sue us, or you more likely," one woman said to the officer.
A member of the band told the officer he was "hit in the face" with the pepper spray and said, "there was nothing out of control."
It's unclear whether the other individuals involved in the conversation were with the band, venue, or another organization, but all expressed frustrations with the deputy's actions.
“It wasn't part of our security plan to have a wall of sheriffs in front of the stage. Absolutely unnecessary. A very weird flex and show of force that was unnecessary for a very positive, great concert," one person said.
“We had an extremely clear security plan in place that we went over many times today. It worked. It was very effective. We didn't have any problems," another person said. “There was no vibe that would make a deputy feel like they needed to pull out any sort of weapon or even to fear anything.”
Another man said while he disagreed with the measures taken by the deputy, he suggested the deputy may not have known that fans would be coming on stage.
“Them not in the know, I think they saw that and reacted based on that, but we had the conversation that we would handle that and control that," the man said.
“We work really well with law enforcement. So that chaps my [expletive] that we work this hard to have punk rock culture and community and have that kind of reaction from sheriffs," another person said.
CBS 6 has asked Sheriff Irving, the Broadberry Entertainment Group— which produced the event, and a manager for Turnstile about the security plan and whether deputies were aware that fans would be invited on stage during the show. We have not yet received responses.
It was also mentioned during the backstage conversation that the deputy suggested deploying the pepper spray was an accident.
“The fact that he lied about it is worse. He said he had it in his hand and didn’t realize the pin was out and it just fired out," a man told the officer. "I need to tell these guys at some point that he was disciplined in some way."
CBS 6 asked Sheriff Irving for a response to that statement about the deputy lying, and we have not yet heard back.
Irving has not confirmed the identity of the officer involved, and she has not shared his current employment status.
She said a preliminary internal investigation report has been completed, but she declined to release it. She cited a Freedom of Information Act exemption that allows government agencies to conceal records related to investigations into allegations of wrongdoing by law enforcement officers.
When we asked about the outcome of the internal investigation, Irving said it was still under review.
The Broadberry Entertainment Group and a manager for Turnstile did not respond to a request for comment regarding the body camera video.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
📲: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube
