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Man arrested for protesting 'police violence' during Royal Oak police charity event

Posted at 7:37 PM, Jun 02, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-02 19:37:26-04

A man was arrested during the first annual "Run with the Police," an event celebrating the Royal Oak Police Department's 100th year.

A protest interrupted the event over two fatal shootings; 20-year-old Cody Reynolds was fatally shot in May, and 28-year-old Antonino Gordon was shot and killed in April by Royal Oak Police.

Brian Ellison, son of state representative Jim Ellison, and a candidate for U.S. senator himself, walked onto the 5K race course with a GoPro, bullhorn and a message.

"This was a police charity event and we thought this was the perfect event to address police violence in the city of Royal Oak," Ellison said.

He said he wanted to raise awareness about the fatal police shootings in the city.

Royal Oak police say everyone has a right to a peaceful protest but they believe Ellison came to the event specifically to disrupt it. Police say he violated two city ordinances and they issued him two misdemeanors.