More than 20 police officers arrived as back-up, after a crowd began interfering with a drug-related arrest at the Park Blocks area in downtown Eugene.
Police said the crowd was made up of 50-75 people. The crowd allegedly surrounded Eugene police officers, who were arresting two men for being involved in a drug transaction, and intimidated the police.
On Friday at around 3:30 p.m., two Eugene police officers witnessed the men engaged in a possible drug sale at Park Blocks.
The police officers began arresting one of the individuals, Jeffery Don Walton, 29, who allegedly fought back. During this time, a crowd surrounded the police and began to grow in numbers. They were allegedly taunting the police and directing obscenities towards them, and the police called for back-up. According to the Register-Guard, officers began using pepper spray and a Taser on the crowd while taking Walton into custody.
Walton faces charges of interfering with police and resisting arrest. Police cited Preston Scott Hancock, 28, for possession of more than an ounce of marijuana, and for his alleged involvement in a drug deal. Eugene Police Captain Sam Kamkar said that additional charges are pending. Kamkar said that one of the officers suffers from minor injuries from the arrest.
A Eugene Police Department statement stated that the police have been monitoring the Park Blocks after arrests last week related to LSD and hash oil.
Police are asking that witnesses who took footage of the incident contact 541-682-5111, and allow its detectives to review the recordings.