Early this morning, officers with the Valdosta Police Department responded to complaints of loud music and crowds in the 100 block of West Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Upon arriving, they discovered two men fighting, and while trying to break things up and make arrests, one officer was injured.

From the Valdosta Police Department:

On Friday, July 24, 2020, at approximately 2:55 am, Valdosta Police Officers were patrolling the area of Andy’s Wings in the 100 block of West Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, due to complaints of loud music and
large crowds of people in the parking lot.

Officers on the scene observed two males, later identified as
Shaquille Oliver and George Smith, physically fighting in the parking lot. As officers attempted to break up the fight, they fell to the ground with Oliver and Smith. While they were on the ground, Fredreka Jackson
began kicking subjects on the ground. As officers were detaining the individuals in the fight and trying to move the crowd away, Destiny Brown walked up and physically pushed an officer in the chest.

Jackson, Oliver, Smith, and Brown were arrested and transported to Lowndes County Jail on the following charges: Oliver, Smith, and Jackson were charged with affray,while Brown was charged with obstruction of
an officer.

One officer received an injury to her knee when she fell on the ground with Smith and Oliver.

No one else was injured during the incident.

“While our officers were trying to control this situation, they met a lot of resistance from the crowd, stated Police Chief Leslie Manahan, “Our
officers were cursed at and threatened, just for doing their jobs.”