The six people accused of taking part in a Father's Day riot in Syracuse have been cleared of the charges against them. A jury found all six not guilty Friday.
The charges stem from an incident at a party near Skiddy Park last summer. Several shots were fired, and a man was shot and killed by a responding Syracuse police officer.
That officer, Kelsey Francemone, testified that she was pulled away, kicked in the groin, and tackled to the ground. She said she was later spit on and hit with a glass bottle. But in her testimony, she said she couldn't identify anyone who attacked her.
In a statement following the verdict, District Attorney William Fitzpatrick says he respects the jury's decision, but is concerned with the message it sends.
He adds, "Each defendant should now be on notice that when he reoffends, and they all will, that the Syracuse Police Department and the DA's office will be there to greet them. The men and women of the Syracuse Police Department and their chief performed magnificently that night, and their actions prevented the loss of innocent lives.
"I'm not sure what the jurors saw that resulted in this verdict, but no other department could have handled this situation more professionally."