Florida woman strikes man in MAGA hat at a Largo park before battering an officer: Documents
By Nancy Gay
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The Brief
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- An argument over a MAGA hat turned physical this week and ended with a woman being arrested.
- Laura Elizabeth Garrett, 33, is also accused of battering an officer as he was arresting her.
- Garrett has been charged with battery on a person 65 years old or older, battery on a law enforcement officer and obstructing or resisting an officer without violence.
LARGO, Fla. – An argument over a MAGA hat turned physical on Tuesday and ended with a woman in handcuffs.
The backstory:
According to an arrest affidavit, Laura Elizabeth Garrett, 33, was at Northeast Park and Paw Place located at 4630 East Bay Drive in Largo around 5:30 p.m. when she got into an argument with a 72-year-old man wearing a MAGA hat.
During the altercation, documents show that the victim told investigators that Garrett hit him on the back of the head and shoulder area with a can she was holding before she jumped a fence and walked away.
According to the arrest report, Garrett admitted to approaching the victim and questioning him about why he would support President Trump before she poured the contents of a can on his head. However, she denied hitting the victim with the can.
Laura Garrett mugshot courtesy of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
Dig deeper:
The document goes on to state that while Garrett was placed in handcuffs, she intentionally dropped her full body weight to the ground.
Largo police officers, according to the document, tried to escort Garrett to the front of the park where patrol vehicles were located, and that’s when she wrapped both of her legs around an officer, causing him to fall to the ground and bruise his knee.
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Police say she continued kicking and pulling away from officers.
Garrett has been charged with battery on a person 65 years old or older, battery on a law enforcement officer and obstructing or resisting an officer without violence.
Florida Woman Attacked 72-Year-Old Over MAGA Hat: Police
Published
By Alia Shoaib
News Reporter
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
A Florida woman has been charged over an alleged attack on a 72-year-old man for wearing a MAGA hat.
Laura Garrett, 33, was arrested on Tuesday, accused of hitting him in the back of the head with a can following an argument, according to police affidavits obtained by Newsweek.
MAGA—or Make America Great Again—is a slogan popularized by President Donald Trump.
Newsweek reached out to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and Largo Police Department via email on Friday.
What To Know
The alleged altercation took place at a park in Largo, Florida, when Garrett approached the victim to question him about why he supported President Donald Trump.
“The defendant and the 72-year-old victim were at the park when a verbal argument broke out between them regarding the victim wearing a “MAGA” hat,” an affidavit read.
“During the altercation, the defendant struck the victim on the back of the head/shoulder area with a can she was holding. She then jumped over a fence and began walking away. This incident was witnessed by an independent witness, who later provided a sworn statement.”
Garrett admitted to confronting the 72-year-old and pouring the contents of a can on his head, but denied throwing the can at him, according to the arrest report.
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When Largo police officers attempted to escort Garrett to a different area of the park, she refused and was put in handcuffs, according to a police report.
Police said she purposefully dropped her full body weight to the ground and continued to resist by kicking, and was eventually restrained with a hobble and escorted by four officers.
While police were attempting to escort Garrett to towards the patrol vehicles, she wrapped both of her legs around one of the officers, causing him to fall to the ground and injure his knee, according to the report.
Garrett was arrested and charged with one count of battery on a person 65 years or older, one count of battery on a law enforcement officer and one count of obstructing or resisting an officer without violence, according to Pinellas County Jail records.
She was released from jail on Wednesday night.
What Happens Next
The case has been forwarded to the State Attorney’s office for prosecution, the Largo Police Department said. It is unclear at this time whether or not it will go to court.
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Florida woman charged after allegedly attacking 72-year-old Trump supporter wearing MAGA hat
Laura Garrett allegedly approached the man wearing the MAGA hat to ask why he supports President Donald Trump
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A Florida woman is facing multiple charges stemming from her alleged attack on a 72-year-old man who was wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat earlier this week.
Laura Garrett, 33, was arrested by the Largo Police Department on Tuesday for battery on a person older than 65, battery on a police officer and obstructing or resisting an officer without violence, according to Pinellas County Jail records.
Garrett admitted she approached the man – who has not been publicly identified – at Northeast Park and Paw Place to ask him about President Donald Trump and why he supports him, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by FOX 13 Tampa Bay.
Laura Garrett, 33, is facing multiple charges after she allegedly attacked an elderly Trump supporter after confronting him for wearing a MAGA hat. (Pinellas County Jail)
The two got into an argument at some point during the confrontation before Garrett poured a can she was holding on the victim’s head and hit him on the back of his head and shoulder area with it, the arrest report said, though Garrett denied that she hit him with the can.
Police said she jumped a fence and walked away after the attack on the man.
The 72-year-old man was allegedly wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat when Laura Garrett confronted him at a park in Largo, Florida. (iStock)
She was later located by police officers, whom she allegedly fought with while they were attempting to arrest her.
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The arrest report states that Garrett intentionally dropped to the ground when officers put her in handcuffs and that when an officer tried to escort her to the front of the park, she wrapped both of her legs around him and caused him to fall.
Garrett allegedly admitted she approached the man at Northeast Park and Paw Place to ask him about President Donald Trump and why he supports him. (Google Earth)
The officer’s knee was bruised during the incident, which is what prompted the second battery charge.
Police said she continued to kick and pull away from arresting officers.
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Garrett was booked into the Pinellas County Jail Tuesday evening, but was released Wednesday night, jail records show.
