The New Orleans police officer accused of pushing a high school senior marching band member during the Muses parade during Mardi Gras has also been accused of payroll fraud.
According to WDSU, Alfred Russell has maintained that the claims of fraud are false, but has since been removed from duty following the Muses parade.
Videos of the Krewe Of Muses parade on Feb. 15 when high school senior Brandon Mitchell was allegedly shoved by Russell have surfaced.
Mitchell, who was playing the horn for L.B. Landry High, told WDSU that the experience was humiliating but he tried to conduct himself with poise and respect because, as homecoming king of his school and a section leader in the band, he has always been “taught to think about how his actions will impact others.”
He urged others to do the same. “I feel like I have stuff going on for myself that I would rather not lose,” Mitchell said.
The video of the incident showed the aftermath of the push, where Mitchell, another student, and Russell argued while other marching band members and parade-goers watched in shock.
“We at Algiers Charter are deeply disappointed by the incident captured in the video, depicting an NOPD Officer pushing an L. B. Landry Student and member of the Marching
Pride of Algiers Band Unit,” Algiers Charter School district said in a statement. “However, we commend our students for their restraint and refusal to engage in negative behavior. This incident underscores the importance of the conflict resolution lessons we impart to our students.”The school revealed that it would monitor the investigation into the NOPD officer’s actions and that it would “initiate a meeting with the NOPD to address this matter promptly.”
NOPD told WDSU that the department’s Public Integrity Bureau is actively investigating the incident and was alarmed by the parade footage.
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