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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Teen Groped, Pepper-Sprayed at Trump Rally

(CN) - Police in Janesville, Wis. are looking for the man who pepper-sprayed a 15-year-old girl outside a Donald Trump rally on Tuesday.

Investigators said the incident occurred during a demonstration outside of the Holiday Inn Express, which is directly adjacent to the Janesville Conference Center, where the Republican presidential front-runner was appearing.

According to police, the girl said she turned around and punched a man who groped her, when another man suddenly pepper-sprayed her.

She and another a 19-year-old woman standing next to her were treated and released from a local hospital.

The Janesville Police Department released a photograph of the man said to have used the pepper-spray on the teen, posting it on the department's Facebook page and asking the public for its help in identifying him.

In the photograph, the young man is shown wearing a red, "Make America Great Again" cap. The by-now familiar headgear is an officially-sanction product of the Trump campaign.

The Janesville Police said based on the teen's account and photographs and video taken before, during and after the incident, it does not appear the man who fired the pepper spray was directly involved in the groping and punching incident.

If that is indeed the case, police said, he could be charged with illegal discharge of pepper spray because he was not using it in self-defense.

The incident followed the arrest of six protestors on Monday night who refused to leave the hotel's lobby. Police said they were part of a much larger group protesting Trump's appearance.

Police said about 1,000 people attended Trump's rally in Janesville, while another 1,000 demonstrated outside. Janesville Police Chief David Moore assigned 350 officers to the event keep the peace.

Anyone who might know the identity of the young man believed to have shot the teen with the pepper spray is asked to call the Janesville Police Department at (608) 755-3100 or Janesville Area Crime Stoppers at (608) 756-3636.

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