Chief Hall says officer acted lawfully
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno Chief of Police Andy Hall says the officer involved in an incident at the Waffle Shop on Sunday appeared to be acting lawfully and said the person who was detained was obstructing the officer, according to a release from FPD.
FPD also released body camera footage of the incident, which can be viewed below.
Chief Hall said that the officer's detention of the individual allowed for Code Enforcement to complete their jobs, and the individual was released without any further charges.
However, he added that he gave clear directions to officers to avoid arresting or enforcing people based on the shelter-in-place order without his approval, and said an Internal Affairs investigation into the incident is underway.
RELATED: Fresno Councilmember Garry Bredefeld addresses police incident at Waffle Shop
The announcement came hours after Fresno City Councilmember Garry Bredefeld held a press conference to address the incident.
Bredefeld, along with store owner Ammar Ibrahim, called for Mayor Lee Brand and the city to end Fresno's shelter-in-place order after Sunday's incident. The Waffle Shop has faced multiple fines from the city for refusing to keep its dining room closed.
The original story, published on the day of the incident and updated on Monday, can be viewed here.