Police officer charged with assaulting man not wearing mask

Prosecutors said Detective Andre Pringle was stationed at a grocery store in West Baltimore in spring when 25-year-old Brandon Walker entered the store with a mask on top of his head but not covering his face, The Baltimore Sun reports.

A Baltimore police detective is facing criminal charges after prosecutors say he slammed to the ground a man who refused to wear a face mask inside a grocery store.

A pedestrian wears a face mask while walking past a sign at a Forward healthcare location during the coronavirus pandemic in San Francisco. (AP)

Prosecutors said Detective Andre Pringle was stationed at a grocery store in West Baltimore in spring when 25-year-old Brandon Walker entered the store with a mask on top of his head but not covering his face, The Baltimore Sun reports.

A mask mandate was in effect because of the coronavirus.

Prosecutors say Walker yelled and cursed Pringle as he escorted him outside of the store. Once outside, Pringle slammed Walker to the ground face first, prosecutors said.

Pringle has been charged with a misdemeanor assault charge. Pringle’s attorney, Chaz Ball, declined to comment to the newspaper.

Walker was charged with multiple crimes, including resisting arrest and assault. Those charges were dropped in November. He pleaded guilty to violating orders under a state of emergency and was put on probation.