[zin0]

On March 25, 2018, Lilburn police officers responded to a call concerning a runaway who had been located at Iglesia Cristiana Evangelica, a storefront church on Lawrenceville Highway in Lilburn, Georgia. Police said congregants surrounded the officers in the parking lot. Police Chief Bruce Hedley said the officers were kicked and choked, and one was pushed into the church glass. A Taser was pulled from an officer's hand and pointed at him before he drew his firearm. Four members of the Cruz family were arrested. No one was injured.

The confrontation was recorded in a bystander's cellphone video, not police body-camera footage. A grand jury later returned a 12-count indictment against the Rev. Wilmer R. Cruz Sr., Cristina Cruz and his teenage son, who was prosecuted as an adult. Cruz Sr. pleaded guilty in June 2019 to aggravated assault of an officer and received a 10-year sentence, with credit for 14 months already served. The balance was structured to allow federal immigration authorities to deport him. Cristina Cruz was convicted at trial in July 2019 of removing a weapon from a public official, aggravated assault on a peace officer, attempted removal of a weapon and willful obstruction. She received a five-year sentence. The teenage son pleaded guilty, received first-offender status and was sentenced to seven years of probation.

[kellyhound]

Four members of a family were arrested outside a storefront church on Sunday during an altercation with Lilburn police.

Lilburn Police arrested 38-year-old Rev. Wilmer Cruz and his wife, 37-year-old Cristina Cruz, along with two teenage boys, ages 16 and 17, for numerous charges relating to an altercation with police officers.

Police had responded Sunday afternoon to a call regarding a located runaway girl in the 4800 block of Lawrenceville Highway.

The events of the incident were captured on police bodycams.

Officers were directed to a tan Cadillac Escalade in front of a storefront church -- Iglesia Cristiana Evangelica.

Family members of the missing girl met the officers and told them she was inside the Escalade. As they approached to talk to her, several people came from inside the church and approached the officers, according to Lilburn Police Chief Bruce Hedley.

"What sort of relationship was there between the missing girl and the other person inside the vehicle?" asked 11Alive's Neima Abdulahi.

"I think they were boyfriend-girlfriend," Hedley replied.

The people who came from inside the church tried to deny the officers access to the girl, despite a restraining order that had been presented by the girl's family members. As officers instructed the people to stand back, they became combative and refused to comply.

According to Hedley, the situation quickly escalated as the people challenged and physically assaulted the officers. During the incident, the officers were kicked, choked and attempts were made to take the officers' equipment.

"This was an out of control situation that got that way very quickly. The officers were backed into a corner, and they had to rely on their training and tactics to get out of a bad situation," Hedley said. "If a Taser is ripped from an officer's hands -- as it was here -- it could get escalated into a deadly force situation, so I'm very happy with the outcome, considering that at the end of the day, no one was hurt; the officers were not hurt and the suspects were not hurt."

The officers called for backup, and four people were arrested. The missing girl was reunited with her family.

All four of the people arrested were taken to the Gwinnett County Jail, where they remained on Wednesday without bail pending a hearing on the charges, which include misdemeanor and felony obstruction of justice, interfering with an emergency call, interference with the custody of a minor, assault, aggravated assault and theft.

Wilmer Cruz, Sr. is charged with aggravated assault against law enforcement, interference with custody in the first and second degree and two counts of willful obstruction of law enforcement.

Wilmer Cruz is charged with obstruction of a 911 call, theft by taking, interference with custody in the first and second degree and two counts of willful obstruction of law enforcement.

Cristina Cruz is charged with theft by taking, interference with custody in the first and second degree and two counts of willful obstruction of law enforcement.

Hedley says his department has received a mixed response to the situation, and to the civilian video that was released shortly after the incident. That video has more than 5 million views on Facebook.

While many people were happy with the restraint shown by officers, he says others are upset with the police response to the situation and the arrest.

Hedley points out that the situation could have deteriorated very quickly.

"They maintained an unbelievable amount of restraint in the situation," Hedley said. "When that Taser was taken, he could have pulled out his firearm and used that firearm to neutralize the situation. He didn't -- and I am so thankful that he did not, but it could have happened in a split-second."

[spudigitti]

That was traumatizing on Easter morning

[thckoitin]

"Why you so meaaaaaan?"


Get fucked, cunt.

[art32]

Fucking pussy ass white cop should of had that shit handled.

[gringo1965]

All the cop had to do was """" use his words"""""

[dkelley284361]

All tough until they got maced then they cryin like little bitches

[popko]

Originally Posted by gringo1965 ↗

All the cop had to do was """" use his words"""""

It is a law if a officer gives a command u gotta do it.

[SimoneFlen']

That woman's droning voice throughout the whole video was doing my fucking head in!

"Stop there's kids, what are you doing, why are you being so mean?"

[Oswald2001]

Remove your kids then, you Drama c*nt.

She was far far concerned with her 'veedio' than her kids.



Reminds me of this very similar incident with a 'family' of 'church' psychos.