Charged: Man Accused of Assault at Queer Event

Incident at Peabody Heights Brewery During Queer Community Event

A recent incident at Peabody Heights Brewery has raised concerns about public safety during community events. The owner of the brewery, Edward O'Keefe, reported that a man assaulted two individuals outside the business during a queer community event. The individual involved, Matthew Middleton, 34, was charged with assault following the incident.

According to reports, the incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday when someone called police to report that "someone with a plastic baton was trying to beat him up." Charging documents indicate that officers saw a man wearing dark clothing running east on 32nd Street near Abell Avenue. This individual was later identified as Middleton.

When approached by law enforcement, Middleton claimed he had been chased. However, several witnesses arrived and informed the officer that Middleton had pepper-sprayed them and had a gun in his backpack, according to charging documents. Middleton reportedly told officers he had a pocket knife, pepper spray, and "a launcher like a BB gun." When questioned about the BB gun, he stated he wanted to exercise his First Amendment rights and claimed he had been threatened by people in the past.

"Why should they be able to threaten me into silence?" Middleton asked police, according to the documents. Charging documents also allege that Middleton was holding a sign that read "Trump Vance Make America Great Again" while standing on a sidewalk.

Witnesses reported that a couple of people heckled Middleton and grabbed his backpack. One victim stated she saw a few people "antagonizing him, but not really," according to the documents. After being pepper-sprayed, the victim and her friend started running, and charging documents state that Middleton pointed a black handgun at others present.

Middleton was arrested and charged with assault. O'Keefe said he and others helped one of the victims. "The police came, they talked to us, and then the police talked to that individual as well, and then we just helped them get their eyes washed out and gave them a beer. And try to be as helpful as possible," O'Keefe explained.

Charging documents also note that the officer who responded to the incident remembered Middleton from a previous altercation that occurred in July along Greenmount Avenue. When asked why he was involved in such incidents, Middleton reportedly said, "People keep attacking me in this town."

O'Keefe mentioned that he is working with the event organizers to enhance security measures for future gatherings. The incident has sparked discussions about safety and the need for better crowd management during community events.

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For more details on the incident involving Matthew Middleton, including the full charging documents, readers are encouraged to explore the complete story. Stay updated with the latest news, weather, and sports coverage from WBAL-TV, your source for Maryland news online.