ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Several organizations are condemning the assault of a Black off-duty police officer in south St. Louis County.
Three men are now charged, and several groups are calling the attack, violent and racially motivated.
"I immediately went into a state of shock. It’s 2024, and we’re still having issues like this, especially racially motivated issues," said Sgt. Stan Dooley with the Ethical Society of Police.
He was shocked to hear a fellow officer was assaulted.
"He is a six- or seven-year veteran with the department," Dooley said. "He's doing okay. He is recovering. He's doing the best he can after going through such a traumatic situation."
Three construction workers, Matthew Devlin, Garrett Gibbs and Donnie Hurley II, are each facing charges of first-degree assault, armed criminal action and kidnapping.
Court documents said on Sept. 26, officers were called at about 10:40 p.m. to an assault at South Lindbergh Boulevard and Lemay Ferry Road. Police said Devlin, Gibbs and Hurley got into a verbal argument with the victim, a St. Louis County police officer, who was driving through a construction zone.
The department said at that time, the officer was off-duty, driving an unmarked car and in plain clothes.
Witnesses said Devlin used racial slurs while screaming at the victim. He said the officer did not "belong down here" and "go back to the hood with your gold chain," according to charging documents.
Police said Devlin then struck the man on the head with a hardhat. They said this led to Gibbs and Hurley holding the officer down while Devlin kept hitting him with the hardhat.
Court documents said Hurley also strangled the man by holding him in a headlock, with the man pleading with them that he could not breathe.
Police told 5 On Your Side the events were interrupted by the arrival of officers who had been called to the scene after a 911 call placed by a witness.
NAACP St. Louis County, the Ethical Society of Police and the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers all sent a letter with concerns.
The NAACP St. Louis County shared the off-duty officer was detained and subjected to a field sobriety test.
A St. Louis County Police spokesperson shared this, "I do not have any information confirming field sobriety testing was conducted. Anytime we respond to a fight, all individuals are detained while we conduct our investigation."
The group have also asked the the Missouri Department of Transportation to immediately terminate all contracts with the construction company involved in this incident.
St. Louis County NAACP President John Bowman said he hopes the case reaches the level of a hate crime because of hate speech.
"Simply because it appears to be racially motivated just because of the racial epithets they used," Bowman said.
Dooley believes this shows we have a long way to go.
"The biggest message I’d really want to convey is to make sure we stand together and stand for righteousness," Dooley said.
Devlin was being held on a $250,000 bond while Hurley and Gibbs were being held on a $100,000 bond. All three men are in jail.
The three men charged are back in court Oct. 15 for a bond reduction hearing.
Hurley has an attorney. 5 On Your Side reached out for comment.
St. Louis County Police are asking for more details or witnesses to come forward. Anyone with information can call detectives at 636-529-8210.
Resources for crime victims
If you have been a victim of a crime or know someone who has been, 5 On Your Side has compiled a list of resources.
The Crime Victim Center of St. Louis has multiple programs to support victims of crime. Crime Victim Center’s programs range from direct services to crime victims as well as “creating awareness and change within the systems they encounter.”
Life Outside of Violence "helps those harmed by stabbing, gunshot or assault receive the treatment, support and resources they need to find alternatives to end the cycle of violence."
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has the Neighborhood Healing Network, which serves people who have experienced crime, violence or been the victim of an incident that caused trauma.
The Bullet Related Injury Clinic (BRIC) is a community-based clinic in St. Louis that helps people heal after they have been injured by a bullet. The BRIC was established to help people who are discharged from the emergency department after being shot.