Violence Breaks out at Occupy Event, Police Officer Attacked at Local Protest

 by Kate Rhinehart
Associated Press Writer

SAN ANTONIO - Violence broke out this week at what is left of the Occupy San Antonio movement. The movement has been dwindling over the last few months, but apparently there were still enough people participating to cause an incident.

Officer McMillan after the attack. He sustained no serious injuries during the attack, only a few scratches,
abrasions of the neck, and quite a bit of the attackers blood on his neck and uniform.

The attack occurring on Wednesday evening, around 7:00 p.m. A police officer was attacked by a protester in a quick and shockingly violent burst of aggression. Witnesses say that the assailant, 25 year old Raul Octavio was acting odd, lurching around the grounds and looking generally distant and aggressive. Octavio was a regular at these events, and those who knew him said that he was generally a very friendly person with a streak for making minor trouble. He had a criminal record, but only for Criminal mischief. “He was really a nice guy, if a little impulsive. We were concerned when he showed up and wasn’t acting like himself. He tried to grab one of the other protestors, and that’s when the officer got involved.” Says Patty Valdez, a fellow occupier.

When Officer McMillan approached the young man, he lashed out and grabbed him by the neck. A knife appeared in his hand, and he attempted to stab the office in the throat, even going so far as to attempt to do so through his own hands. Unable to break the youths hold on him, the officer drew his weapon and fired on the young man, wounding him in the abdomen. Octavio then fled the scene, despite heavy bleeding. He was found dead 10 blocks away.

“I did what I had to do to protect myself. I’m no slacker, but this kid was amazingly strong. He was a big guy, but this was just.. I knew he wanted to kill me.” Officer McMillan said in an interview at the scene.

Though this is by far the worst incident of violence, it is this violence and general mindset of aggression and disrespect that motivated many of the Occupy San Antonio Movement to leave and start another, similar movement, Occupy Bexar.

SAPD is upholding Officer McMillan’s actions of lethal force, and he will not be under any investigation at this time.