ITHACA, N.Y.—One person was arrested Wednesday morning after a fight on West State Street led to a foot chase downtown.
Police responded to the 300 block of West State Street around 10:35 a.m. to a report of two people fighting, and upon arrival they found one person on the ground being kicked in the head by another person, according to a police press release.
The alleged kicker, Devon D. Welch, was interviewed but then fled. Police said that he ran to the 100 block of East Green Street where he was then arrested.
Police said Welch took “a fighting stance against officers” and was resisting arrest. During his arrest, police said “three officers sustained injuries from the conduct and actions taken by Welch during this pursuit.” It’s unclear if Welch directly injured the officers or if they were injured while chasing Welch, but he doesn’t appear to have been charged with assaulting a police officer/peace officer.
Welch is, however, facing charges of one count of second-degree obstructing governmental administration, a misdemeanor, and a violation-level offense of disorderly conduct. The victim has been identified by police but has not been interviewed, and their identity was not released.
The Ithaca Voice has filed a FOIL request for body camera footage of the pursuit and arrest.
Separately, police also responded to a shooting incident around 10 p.m. Wednesday night in the Hotel Ithaca parking lot. Spent shell casings were found at the scene and two men were seen fleeing the scene after the report of a shooting, but no injuries or victims have been found at this time, according to a police press release.