On March 11th, 2025 police entered the Parkchester Apartments neighborhood (2639 Birney Place SE) and approached a female and detained her for marijuana. The officers (male) searched her body for her ID, found it, and let her go.

The same officers continued down the street to the parking lot where the Butler family was. They approached Jermaine Irving Jr. as he was about to light marijuana and proceeded to detain, handcuff, and arrest him, a notably different response compared to how they treated the female earlier.

Donte Jr. was nearby and saw what the police were doing to Jermaine. As the police were walking Jermaine to the car, they passed Donte Jr. and pushed him. Donte Sr. witnessed the incident and told the police off for putting their hands on Donte Jr. The police then maced Donte Jr., causing a brawl to ensue between the family and the officers, who subsequently maced Donte Sr. and Jr. (again). The Butlers collectively were maced a total of 12 times during the incident.

Ronald Butler, witnessing the brutalization of his family, then gets involved to protect his relatives.

[still need info about Freddy’s involvement, might delete later]

While the fight was occurring, Shannon -Donte Jr.’s mother -noticed that the officers were moving Donte Jr.’s hand near their gun, which he repeatedly verbally resisted.

4 out of the 5 family members involved are now facing trumped-up charges of assaulting an officer, simply for defending one another from state violence. These charges put all of them at risk of incarceration. Meanwhile, the racist and crooked officers responsible remain free to continue to terrorize our communities.