Man charged with assaulting Minneapolis police sergeant with 15-pound garbage can lid

A Minneapolis man has been charged with assaulting a police sergeant with a 15-pound metal garbage can lid in August.

Brayshaun Lamar Gibson, 28, is charged with second-degree assault, third-degree assault, second-degree riot and third-degree burglary.

A criminal complaint states, on Aug. 26, a Minneapolis police sergeant walked to his squad car on the 600 block of Nicollet Mall and as he got into the car, Gibson threw a metal garbage can lid at him, striking the sergeant in the head and knocking him unconscious.

The sergeant was taken to a hospital and treated for possible spinal damage, according to the complaint. He has since been released but continues to receive therapy for his injuries.

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Surveillance video showed Gibson fled after the assault and later entered a department store on Nicollet Mall through a broken window, the complaint states. Additional video showed Gibson and his companions taking property from the store before entering a vehicle parked near Sixth Street and First Avenue. The complaint notes the vehicle was identified as being involved in a previous burglary where the victim in that case knew Gibson.

Officers identified and arrested Gibson, who admitted the vehicle was his. According to the complaint, Gibson said he became enraged over misinformation about officers shooting someone downtown, which he later learned was a suicide. Gibson then said he regretted getting involved in the "chaos" and acknowledged he’d face the consequences.

Officers later executed a search warrant on Gibson’s vehicle and recovered clothing with security tags consistent with what is sold at the department store Gibson was seen in.

Gibson remains in custody.