George Floyd Protests: 21-Year-Old Loses Eye From Police Tear Gas Canister

A 21-year-old student journalist, who was at the George Floyd rally in Indiana Saturday, lost an eye after he was hit by a police tear gas canister on the face. Authorities apparently threw the tear gas to quell a riot at the crowd protesting against police brutality, in the wake of George Floyd’s death, at the Allen County Courthouse in Fort Wayne.

Balin Brake, who works as a part-time weekend editor for a local TV station, was rushed to the hospital where he was diagnosed with a fractured occipital bone. His mother, Rachel Simonis, confirmed that he lost his right eye after doctors failed to save the organ.

Simonis said that two canisters hit his son. One struck his shoe, and as he bent down to check what was up, the other canister hit him in the face.

Brake said that the canisters "were hot as hell," but he didn't attempt to pick it up since he had nothing to protect his hands. He also said that the cops were deliberately hitting protesters on the head.

In a statement, however, Fort Wayne police said that Brake had the intention to pick up the canister to throw back at the cops. Sgt. Sofia Rosales-Scatena also denied that they deliberately deployed tear gas on the protesters’ heads.

But a witness has corroborated Brake's account that the cops were aiming for the head.

Meanwhile, WFFT, where Brake works, said that he was not working at that time he joined the protest. His mother has set up an online fundraiser for her son's hospital expenses.

Brake said that he will still undergo another operation for a prosthetic eye, but he does not regret losing part of his eyesight.

"This pales in comparison to the hardships African Americans have endured for decades," he posted on Twitter.

In recent days, Fort Wayne's protest activities have been escalating as anger brewed over a man’s death at the hands of cops in Minneapolis, prompting the police chief to issue a statement Monday.

“We support peaceful protest,” Chief Steve Reed said. “Unfortunately, I believe sometimes other influences take effect and the protest becomes not peaceful.”

Reed recounted that the first few days of protests were emotional that talking it over with the protesters didn't work out. About 100 were arrested following the weekend's demonstration.