Martin Gugino, the 75-year-old protester who fell to the ground after being pushed by police in Buffalo, has been released from the hospital.
Gugino had been hospitalized since the June 4 incident and was able to leave on Tuesday, his attorney Kelly Zarcone said in a statement.
“I was able to see Martin today and he looks great. He can walk with a little help and his condition will continue to improve with rest and time,” Zarcone said. “I brought him the cards and letters sent to my office and he said he still felt overjoyed at the continued support and well wishes, ‘like it was Christmas Day.’”
“Martin said he is pleased at the progress made so far to protect the safety of peaceful protesters, a topic near and dear to his heart. He respects the burden of authority placed upon law enforcement but looks forward to the continued implementation of systemic changes to eliminate police brutality,” Zarcone added.
Martin Gugino, the man shoved by BPD officers after he approached them during a non violent protest, has been released from ECMC. Here is more details from his attorney: pic.twitter.com/nMP9DRR5Yg
— Dan Telvock (@DanTelvock) June 30, 2020
The incident occurred during a protest against systemic racism and police brutality that Gugino had attended following the death of George Floyd. Video showed Gugino walking up to a police line before being shoved, causing him to fall backward and slam his head against the ground. Blood was seen coming from his ear.
The police department first reported that Gugino tripped and fell, but after the videos of the fall emerged, two officers, Aaron Torgalski and Robert McCabe, were suspended and eventually charged with second-degree assault. All 57 members of the Buffalo Police Department’s emergency response team resigned in solidarity with Torgalski and McCabe.
President Trump soon waded into the controversy when he floated a conspiracy theory that the elderly man might have been part of an antifa plot, an unfounded assertion based on an unfounded report by One America News Network.
