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Daily Caller reporters say authorities forcibly detained, kicked, repeatedly hit them with clubs during Wisconsin riots
Image source: Twitter video screenshot

Daily Caller reporters say authorities forcibly detained, kicked, repeatedly hit them with clubs during Wisconsin riots

Frightening exchange

Two reporters for the Daily Caller say authorities detained them and hit them repeatedly as they covered demonstrations Thursday in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.

Demonstrations and riots erupted Thursday night in Wauwatosa after authorities announced that the police officer who fatally shot 17-year-old Alvin Cole would not face charges.

Investigators have said that Cole was running from police after reportedly firing a stolen handgun when police fired on the teen.

What are the details?

According to a Friday morning report from the outlet, reporters Shelby Talcott and Richie McGinniss said officers detained them even after they identified themselves as members of the press.

On Twitter, Talcott wrote, "@RichieMcGinniss and I just got detained/almost arrested. Officers kicked me and hit me with a billy club and repeatedly hit Richie with a club (we were not resisting). Luckily, an officer came while we were waiting in the police van and recognized that we were press."

Following the alleged detainment, Talcott said that officers let her and McGinniss go.

"Richie had his press credentials visible before he was taken down," Talcott said. "I was sitting in the car (outside of the area where protesters were being arrested) waiting for Richie (who was filming)."

The two were covering the demonstrations along with Campus Reform senior campus correspondent Blair Nelson and independent reporter Brendan Gutenschwager.

Talcott alleged that authorities demanded McGinniss and Nelson leave the area and said that the two reporters complied with the order.

"Several officers then chased the boys down right as they reached our car & forced the rest of us out of the vehicle before making arrests," Talcott wrote in a now-viral Twitter thread. "Richie captured audio of the incident."

Talcott also shared photos of herself and McGinniss with what she said were injuries sustained in the detainment.

She captioned the snap, "We'll have some nice cuts and bruises in the coming days[.]"

McGinniss also shared video of the incident on Twitter, saying, "Video of @ShelbyTalcott and my detainment. As I was recording arrests, one officer told me to (quickly) clear the area. Upon arriving to the car, I was forcibly detained (with press cred in hand) and as you can hear in the video, I tried my best to comply with police orders."

Late Thursday evening, Talcott concluded, "Last thing I'll note for some comments I've seen from Louisville and this: freedom of the press is important and allows reporters to be out past curfew, etc to report the news and get the truth out there. It's a dangerous thing if that right goes away."

In the early hours of Friday morning, Talcott shared a video taken by Caroline Reinwald of WISN-TV.

Talcott captioned the video, ".@WISN_Caroline captured part of our detainment (picks up sort of after @RichieMcGinniss's video, it seems). The person being tossed from the passenger side is [Brendan Gutenschwager], who is still — to my knowledge — in jail."

Early Friday morning, McGinnis took to Twitter, writing, "@ShelbyTalcott called multiple times and I sent emails to any applicable PD's [sic]. Still no status updates regrading [Brenden Gutenschwager] and [Blair Nelson]."

Talcott added that Gutenschwager and Nelson were reportedly jailed on "some sort of violating curfew charge" and were expected to "be released somewhat soon (1,2 hours) after being fingerprinted, etc."

Gutenschwager on Friday morning tweeted, "Tonight I was brutalized by police in Wisconsin. This is me being dragged out of a vehicle and slammed to the pavement. Pleaded with officers that I am here as press, never even given a chance to cooperate before they escalated to this. I am in shock."

Nelson also tweeted, "Hey everybody, I'm out of jail, only in there for three hours. I was arrested for filming with @BGOnTheScene@ShelbyTalcott@RichieMcGinniss. Still don't have my phone, hopefully, will get it soon."

The Blaze reached out to the Wauwautosa Police Department for comment on the story, but did not receive a response in time for publication.

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