GRAHAM, N.C. — The Alamance County Sheriff’s Office, ACSO, responded to the confrontation at a March to the Polls event that took a turn Saturday afternoon.

What You Need To Know

  • Alamance County Sheriff's Office made a statement days after officers pepper sprayed participants of a March to the Polls event

  • More than 20 people face charges stemming from the confrontation

  • Authorities say a deputy first deployed pepper spray while being shoved to the ground

ASCO released new details during a press conference Monday afternoon. Community Engagement and Diversity Coordinator Michelle Mills outlined what deputies reported during the early voting event led by Rev. Greg Drumwright.

Authorities say deputies spotted a gasoline canister carried by a marcher. They say there was also a gas-powered generator being used and carried in a cloth bin. According to the fire marshal, this is a fire hazard.

Authorities say deputies approached the participant with the gas can to confiscate it. They say he resisted, and was pulling and shoving between marchers and deputies ensued. ACSO says a female deputy was shoved to the ground, and deployed OC spray, similar to pepper spray.

Another deputy sprayed into the air above protesters. Several other deputies sprayed the ground in front of marchers to keep the crowd from moving further.

According to ACSO, authorities spoke with Rev. Greg Drumwright before the date of the event, and told him gas-powered generators would be a safety hazard, and would not be allowed at the event.

Michelle Mills says, “We know that there are many versions of the events from Saturday and hope that our community will try to understand the difficult decisions that were made.”

More than 20 people face charges stemming from the clash between deputies and marchers.

North Carolina representative David Price is calling on Attorney General William Barr and the Justice Department to investigate Saturday’s confrontation.