Three construction workers in St. Louis are facing multiple felony charges after they allegedly assaulted an off-duty Black police officer and shouted racial slurs at him. The incident has sparked outrage and raised concerns about racism and violence in the community.
Matthew Devlin, a 39-year-old resident of Fenton, Missouri, has been accused of three counts of first-degree assault, two counts of armed criminal action, and one count of first-degree kidnapping. His co-defendants, Garrett Gibbs, a 23-year-old from Fenton, and Donnie Hurley Jr., a 42-year-old from Arnold, Missouri, are facing charges of two counts of first-degree assault, armed criminal action, and first-degree kidnapping.
The suspects may not have been aware that the victim was a police officer, as he was driving an unmarked car and dressed in plainclothes.
The St. Louis County jail is currently holding all three men in custody.
According to court records, Devlin’s bond was set at $250,000, while Gibbs and Hurley were both assigned bonds of $100,000.
It remains uncertain whether they have legal representation.
On September 26, an incident occurred at the intersection of South Lindbergh Boulevard and Lemay Ferry Road in Clayton, located just outside St. Louis. According to St. Louis County Police, the area was undergoing construction, and it is believed that the altercation broke out due to confusion regarding the boundaries of the work zone. Various news outlets reported on this incident.
According to a police spokesperson, the incident involved an off-duty officer who was driving an unmarked vehicle and dressed in plainclothes. The officer entered an area marked by traffic cones, but it was uncertain whether these cones effectively indicated a restricted area.
A disagreement ensued when Devlin confronted the off-duty officer for entering the work detail. Witnesses reported that he hurled multiple racial slurs at the officer before the officer retaliated.
According to police reports, Devlin allegedly struck the off-duty officer with a hard hat while the other suspects restrained him.
More police officers arrived at the scene and intervened to stop the fight.
