Viral video of Loop cop brawl comes with a catchy story. Here’s what CPD says really happened.

Chicago Police Officer’s Confrontation with Brandon Mickens

A recent video circulating online depicting a Chicago police officer wrestling with a man in the Loop has sparked various narratives, but the true events differ from what is being portrayed. According to a CPD report documenting the man’s arrest, the situation unfolded differently than what was initially assumed.

The incident occurred around 2 p.m. on May 4 when a 33-year-old man flagged down a Chicago police officer, alleging that 36-year-old Brandon Mickens had slapped him in the face on the 300 block of South State Street. The officer approached Mickens to detain him, but Mickens resisted and attempted to flee, leading to a physical struggle captured on video and shared online.

During the scuffle, a witness alerted CPD mass transit officers about the situation, leading to Mickens’ eventual arrest. The report stated that the original officer sustained scratches and swelling from the altercation. Mickens was charged with felony aggravated battery of a peace officer, as well as misdemeanor battery and resisting arrest charges. Interestingly, this was his second arrest on the same block in less than two weeks.

Prior to this incident, Mickens was arrested on April 24 by a CPD surveillance team for suspected narcotics-related activities. During the arrest, officers found Mickens in possession of ecstasy pills, resulting in charges of possession of a controlled substance and soliciting unlawful business.

Following his recent arrest, Judge Ankur Srivastava ordered Mickens to be detained for violating pretrial release conditions in the narcotics case. Court records revealed that Mickens had previous convictions in 2022 for being a felon in possession of a firearm, leading to consecutive prison sentences of three years and four years.

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