KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Two Kansas City, Missouri, police officers charged with assault left the department last month.
Matthew Brummett's last day of employment with KCPD was Dec. 16.
Charles Prichards' last day with the department was Dec. 27.
Brummett, 38, and Prichard, 49, were each indicted in July 2020 by a Jackson County grand jury on a charge of felony assault.
The two officers were accused of causing physical injury to Bryan Hill, also known as Breona Hill, during an arrest May 24, 2019, outside Beauty Essence, Barber and Beauty Store at 1319 Brush Creek Boulevard, according to a news release from the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office at the time of the felony indictment.
Hill had gotten into an argument with someone and called 911.
She also asked the store owner to call 911, used slurs and insulted the store owner, according to the news release.
The store owner called 911 and asked for Hill to be removed from the store.
Officers said Hill resisted arrest, was put on the ground and was taken to a police department patrol station.
Video shot on a cell phone by a passing motorist revealed a different scenario, according to the news release.
The cell phone video shows Hill on her stomach with Brummett and Prichard kneeling on her torso, ribs and upper back, the news release states.
Brummett also allegedly slammed Hill's face twice on the concrete and further assaulted her.
Hill was shot to death in October 2019 in a Kansas City, Missouri, house, in an incident not related to the assault.
The indictments drew a swift and angry response when the charges were upgraded to felonies.
"We received the information the Jackson County Prosecutor took the case involving Breona Hill back to the grand jury this afternoon and upgraded the charges against two KCPD officers from misdemeanor assault to felony assault," Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #99 President Brad Lemon said in a statement after the felony indictments. "As we stated in May, we stand by these officers.
"The incident with Hill happened in October of 2019 and was investigated at that time. We do not believe any new evidence has surfaced in this case since it was brought to the grand jury in May. This is another example of political prosecution and abuse of power by the Jackson County Prosecutor who is attempting to resurrect a failing career on the backs of the good men and women of the KCPD."
Former officers Brummett and Prichard are scheduled for trial July 25 in Jackson County Court.
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