Officers Assaulted During July 4 Fireworks Dispute In Anne Arundel County: Police

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Annapolis police were assaulted three times while trying to stop illegal fireworks on the 4th of July, officers said. Authorities asked for the public's help in identifying two of the suspects.

Police said they were in the 700 block of Newtowne Drive around 10:13 p.m. Tuesday for an earlier report of shots fired when they saw a man start to light an illegal aerial firework.

Officers said they told the suspect not to light the firework, but he responded with profanity and lit it anyway.

As an officer approached the suspect to arrest him, authorities said he pushed the officer to the ground.

Police said they started to struggle to arrest the suspect, injuring one officer's arm.

Authorities identified this first suspect as 22-year-old Yameko Brown of Annapolis.

Police said they called for assistance because a crowd started gathering around Brown and the officers.

Authorities said they placed Brown in handcuffs and walked him to the police car.

While officers walked Brown to the cruiser, authorities said a female from the crowd grabbed an officer's handgun in the holster and tried to remove it and disarm him.

The officer blocked the suspect trying to disarm him and she fled into the crowd before returning and punching the officer, a press release said.

The female suspect ran into a building and a crowd of people blocked police from arresting her, the release said.

Authorities said at least one other male assaulted an officer during the scuffle.

Police said they are working to identify the unknown male and female suspects so they can be charged with assault.

The Annapolis Police Department said Brown was charged with:

• Discharging fireworks without a permit
• Possession of fireworks without a permit
• Two counts of second-degree assault
• Resisting arrest
• Disorderly conduct
• Failure to obey a reasonable and lawful order

The District Court commissioner released Brown on his own recognizance until his trial, officers said.

"I cannot stress enough that no one should strike police officers, or try to disarm them," Annapolis Police Chief Edward Jackson said in the release. "The consequences of such actions can be dire and far reaching. When the suspects are identified, justice will be swift and certain."

The Annapolis Police Department asked anybody with information to call 410-260-3439. Tipsters can also anonymously contact officers at 410-280-CLUE (410-280-2583).

The Metro Crime Stoppers of Maryland offered a cash reward of up to $2,000 for information that leads to an arrest or an indictment on felony charges. The Metro Crime Stoppers is a non-police organization that collects tips and shares them with detectives.

Informants can anonymously contact the Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP (1-866-756-2587), on metrocrimestoppers.org or through the P3 Tips mobile application.

This map shows the area where authorities said the assaults happened.