The Dallas Police Department reports that Gerardo Velasquez, 27, was arrested Monday evening during an anti-ICE protest near Downtown Dallas after allegedly assaulting officers and attempting to take a police stun gun.
Officers were dispatched to the 3100 block of Gulden Lane near the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge around 9 p.m., after the peaceful protest moved into the street, causing gridlock on a major downtown roadway. According to the arrest affidavit, Velasquez struck the window of a marked police vehicle, prompting officers to intervene based on concerns about potential escalation.
When officers attempted to detain him, Velasquez allegedly tried to flee. During the struggle, he resisted handcuffing and kicked an officer. Additional protesters reportedly intervened, pulling an officer away and damaging his uniform while taking his body-worn camera. Officers deployed pepper spray to create space between protesters and law enforcement.
The affidavit states that during the altercation, Velasquez slapped an officer, dislodging the officer’s contact lens. He then attempted to grab an officer's stun gun before it was secured. Officers deployed a taser twice before subduing Velasquez and placing him in handcuffs after approximately four minutes.
Velasquez was transported to Parkland Hospital for evaluation and later booked into Dallas County Jail on charges of assaulting a public servant causing bodily injury and attempting to take a weapon from a peace officer. His bond was set at $5,000, and he was released by 6 p.m. Tuesday.
