A Turnstile gig in Richmond, Virginia, led to controversy final month after a police officer allegedly pepper-sprayed a teenage fan during the band’s set-closing chaos on September 24, 2025.
The incident happened at Brown’s Island, the place the Baltimore melodic hardcore heroes have been mid-way by their typical stage-invading finale to “Birds” when issues turned bitter. Native officers had been enlisted to assist with occasion safety — however considered one of them reportedly took issues a step too far.
Footage from the evening reveals an officer elevating a pepper spray canister as followers clambered over the barrier to hitch the band. Whereas one concertgoer narrowly prevented being sprayed, one other wasn’t so fortunate — the officer could be seen turning and blasting a separate fan immediately within the face.
Within the clip, Turnstile bassist and vocalist Franz Lyons will also be seen stepping in to defend a fan from safety employees making an attempt to tug them offstage.
Based on a brand new CBS 6 report, Richmond Sheriff Antionette Irving has since launched an investigation into the officer’s use of the chemical agent — which, it seems, was discharged immediately into the face of a 15-year-old concertgoer.
Bodycam footage obtained through public information request reveals the aftermath, with the teenager describing what occurred: “I acquired shot with, like — I assumed it was a beer or one thing, as a result of folks have been going loopy the entire time. My face began burning. I could not see something, after which I went off to the facet, yelled ‘pepper spray,’ as a result of that is what I assumed it was, and it ended up being that.”
Visibly in ache and struggling to breathe, the teenager was reportedly helped by Lyons himself. In a press release to CBS 6, the boy’s father recalled the surreal second he realised the bassist had his son’s cellphone: “His cellphone is looking me, and it is the [expletive] bassist from Turnstile who one way or the other acquired his cellphone and is making an attempt to get me to the place my son is. Then I get there and he’s laying within the fetal place, pepper sprayed. I do not perceive.”
Based on one other witness captured within the footage, the officer allegedly instructed bystanders the discharge was unintentional: “He stated he had it in his hand and did not understand the pin was out and it simply fired out,” the person stated. “The truth that he lied about it’s worse. I would like to inform these guys sooner or later that he was disciplined ultimately.”
CBS 6 says it has but to obtain an official remark from Sheriff Irving concerning the allegations, although she confirmed {that a} preliminary investigation has been performed and stays below overview.
A 14-minute compilation of bodycam footage associated to the incident has been launched through wtvr.com, with an edited model included in CBS 6’s on-air report.
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