MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (WJLA) – Following five days of mounting social media frenzy, Maryland-National Capital Park Police have arrested the man they believe to be responsible for assaulting three young adults on the Capital Crescent Trail in Bethesda.
On Monday, the three teens— ages 18, 19, and 19 — were placing Black Lives Matter fliers along the popular bike path that runs from Downtown Bethesda to Georgetown. That is when a middle-aged bicyclist confronted the teens who have asked that their identities remain confidential.
"Hey leave her alone!" the male teen shouted as the bicyclist approached one of the women in an orange-colored helmet and form-fitting exercise clothing.
"Do not touch her! Do not touch her!" the first woman screamed as the cyclist turned and marched towards the other woman, prying a roll of blue-colored tape out of her hands. "She has nothing! Do not touch her, sir!"
The cyclist then grabbed hold off his bike and proceeded to charge at the young man who was recording the tense encounter with his cell phone. The video clip, which was promptly posted and disseminated on social media,has been viewed millions of times.
"Just get out of here!" the young man remarked before falling onto the ground. "What the fu**!?"
"You want it? Give it to me!" the bicyclist is heard saying. The camera, at that moment, appeared to be covered by a green leaf.
The nearly 40-second clip ends with the male victim raising the camera lens, showing the suspect standing on the trail with both hands on his bike.
Around 9 p.m. Friday, authorities identified the mystery bicyclist as Anthony Brennan III, 60, of Kensington, Maryland. The suburban town is located approximately 10 miles north of Washington, D.C.
Authorities say they received "hundreds" of tips over the last few days. On Friday, they recovered items of "evidentiary value" from Brennan's home along the 4400 block of Ambler Drive. Those items included the 6-foot-2, 205-pound man's bicycle, helmet, water bottle, and gray-colored shirt.
Around 7:45 p.m. Friday, Brennan voluntarily turned himself in at the Montgomery County Detention Center in Rockville on three misdemeanor counts of second-degree assault.
WRONGFULLY ACCUSED
In its pursuit to identify the wanted bicyclist, social media vigilantes implicated two innocent men: Bethesda resident Peter Weinberg and retired Montgomery County Police Department Commander John Damskey.
"I recently learned I have been misidentified in connection with a deeply disturbing attack," Weinberg wrote on Twitter late Thursday night. "Please know this was not me. I have been in touch with the authorities and will continue to help any way possible."
In a follow-up tweet, Weinberg shared a Maryland-National Capital Park Police report that cleared him as a suspect. The report had a date and timestamp of Friday, June 5, at8:24 a.m.
"On today's date, I conducted an interview with Peter Weinberg who was identified as a possible suspect on Twitter during the investigation," the park police officer wrote in the report. "I conducted the interview, reviewed the evidence, and was able to exclude him as the suspect that did the assault."
By midday Friday, rumors started swirling that the suspect was Damskey. Hundreds of tweets accused the former cop of the trail assault solely based on the fact that, like Weinberg, his face resembled that of the wanted suspect.
- @nVZW3d5GpdzF1lO: "Through hours of research online, I saw no one else that more closely fit the description of the biker than John Damskey."
- @justructo: "Former Captain John Damskey, Montgomery County, MD PD. Twitter you know what to do!"
- @meaganmday: "How surprised are you to find out that this man is a former police officer?"
- @OblivionOrion: "FIRE JOHN DAMSKEY! PIG ATTACKED TEEN GIRLS ON A PARK TRAIL. FELON!"
- @SenderRachel: "Scumbag! A cowardly bully harassing and trying to silence the voices of children. Of course he's an ex cop #JohnDamskey"
- @ThatsSoSuz: "John Damskey, Montgomery County police officer (retired?) You've got the ID a hundred times over. Go arrest this scum."
- @JDLsmooth: "YOURE GOING DOWN JOHN DAMKSEY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY #bethesda #BlackLivesMatter @JusticeForGeorgeFloyd"
In an attempt to quell the unvetted, defamatory narrative, Montgomery County Police issued a statement on Twitter shortly after 2 p.m. Friday.
"Reports circulating on social media referencing a former MCPD employee as being the suspect in the Capital Crescent Trail assault are false," MCPD wrote after receiving scores of inquiries. "Additional information is forthcoming from the Maryland-National Capital Park Police who are heading the investigation."
On Thursday, Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh (D) called on Marylanders to contact his office orMontgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy if they had any information about the suspect.
In light of the countless unverified, libelous remarks made againstWeinberg and Damskey, Frosh issued a follow-up tweet Friday asking people to exercise more caution and due diligence.
"Thanks for the great response,"Frosh wrote on Twitter. "Park Police have a strong suspect as a result. But, please don't name individuals & risk harm to innocent people."
BIOGRAPHICAL INFO ON BRENNAN
According to defense attorney Andy Jezic, Brennan has been married for 31 years and has three adult children, ages 20, 27, and 30. The 60-year-old considers himself to be an avid outdoorsman, enjoying tennis, golf and bicycling. He has also attended the same Kensington church for many moons.
"Just a very stable life," Jezic noted when reached by telephone Friday night. "He's been very active in raising his kids, coaching, things like that."
Jezic shared that Brennan has no history of violence or harassing behavior. Instead, he believes his client's mind was fogged by months of being cooped up inside his home, and the rush of an intense weekday workout.
"I think adrenaline was pumping and he completely misperceived the actual meaning of the pamphlets, and he thought they were inciting of violence and rioting," Jezic opined."He just perceived that as a call to further looting. He takes full responsibility now, realizing that there was nothing in the fliers that expressly advocated that."
Jezic shared photos of two of the black and white, paper pamphlets, which state:
- "A Man Was Lynched By The Police. What Are You Doing About It? Text 'Floyd' to 55156 / Use your privilege for good."
- "Killer Cops Will Not Go Free. Text 'Floyd' to 55156 / Do Not Live In Ignorance. Use Your Privilege For Good."
In a written statement, Brennan issued a mea culpa and vowed to right his wrongs.
“I am sick with remorse for the pain and fear I caused the victims on the trail, and online. I am cooperating fully with authorities. I am committed to making amends by addressing, through counseling, the underlying issues that led to my abhorrent behavior... I am dedicated to working with the Montgomery County State Attorney’s Office to provide peace to our community and justice to the victims in the video, as well as to all victims of racism and police brutality.”
For more than a decade, Brennan has worked as a sales partner atMadeToOrder, Inc., a California-based company that creates branded products. Late Friday night, the business confirmed it had ended Brennan's employment.
Recently, we discovered one of our employees engaged in disturbing, wrongful, and completely unacceptable behavior directed towards peaceful demonstrators. We have zero-tolerance for this behavior, and we took immediate and decisive action, terminating the employee. This behavior does not, in any way, reflect our company’s commitment to acting with respect and compassion to everyone within our company and those in our communities. We steadfastly strive to promote an environment that recognizes the dignity, diversity, and worth of every individual within the company and the community together with a commitment to treat one another with respect and compassion. The indefensible conduct displayed by this individual counters our company’s culture and commitments. We stand in solidarity with our Black community. Black Lives Matter.
A court commissioner granted Brennan a $5,000 unsecured personal bond. Jezic expected his client to be released from the county jail by 1:30 a.m. Friday night. Brennan faces up to 30 years in prison on the three second-degree assault charges. No preliminary court date has been scheduled.