LOWELL, Mass. — A Lowell police officer was knocked unconscious following a brawl outside of local bar.
Lowell police say they were in the middle of routine overnight patrols early Sunday morning when several fights started breaking out outside of Tescobar on Middlesex Street in Lowell.
In an effort to break up those fights, prosecutors say, a Lowell police officer was punched in the face.
Officers were deploying a taser on the man, identified as 20-year-old Malakai Linton, but Linton was still able to strike the officer before they both fell to the ground.
“The defendant cocked back with a closed right fist threw a single punch and connected with officer Bettencourt’s jaw knocking him completely unconscious,” Assistant District Attorney, Kate McCarthy, explained in court.
Cell phone video circulating on social media shows the moment Linton punched the police officer in the jaw.
Investigators say moments before, more than 30 people were gathered outside of the Tescobar, forming a semi-circle around a woman who was unconscious on the ground.
That woman, later identified as Linton’s mother, Krystal Linton.
“He saw his mother go down and hit the ground; she hit her head on the ground after being hit by someone else. He was trying to come to her aid when he regained his feet, he regained his feet to police officers pointing tasers at him and then shooting him with it. He said seeing his mother on the ground like that he lost his cool,” Defense Attorney, Jeannine Mercure, explained.
Mercure also said Linton apologized to officers while in jail.
Krystal Linton, who showed up to court to support her son alongside family, spoke with Boston 25 outside.
“I hit my head. I’m laying in a pile of blood on the ground, and they are all walking by me mind you there was 8 officers there not one of them stepped in. The cops did absolutely nothing but let me lay there and actually take their partner and step on me to get their partner to the side,” she said.
In a request for a response to Linton’s claim, Lowell police told Boston 25 news, they did render aid.
The Linton family, insisting there is more to the story.
“They didn’t capture the cop punching him in the fact, they didn’t capture the cop pushing him to the ground, the cops left her laying there on the ground for ten minutes before they even did anything,” Eric Anderson, Linton’s uncle, said.
“You have to actually be there in the situation itself to know went on I’m not saying he’s completely right but I’m also not saying he’s wrong. he had every right to do what he did especially when it comes to our mom,” his sister said.
Despite what’s depicted in the now viral video, they say Linton is a good man.
“He coaches little league football, he works every day, he does what a kid is supposed to do. He graduated high school, taking college classes, he’s doing the things he needs to do to excel in life,” Anderson added.
Linton wasn’t the only person to appear in court Monday connected with the brawl.
Several others joined him including one man who police say was handcuffed on scene but ran away only to turn himself in later because he couldn’t get the handcuffs off.
The brawl remains under investigation, and Linton did not yet make his $7,500 cash bail.
The judge also ordered Linton to stay away from drugs and alcohol and to submit to random testing.
Prosecutors originally asked for a $20,000 cash bail and GPS home confinement.
Police say the officer was treated and released from the hospital.
Linton’s next court appearance is August 28th.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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