published: Friday, December 21, 2012

Fight breaks out as families hold a candlelight vigil

MILLARD K. IVES | Staff Writer

millardives@dailycommercial.com

A candlelight vigil on Dec. 12 for Joshua Waldron, who was shot to death during a confrontation with officers Tuesday, was broken up by police after because of fighting.

Capt. Jon Johnson, police spokesman, said the altercations at the vigil in Lincoln Park apparently started between friends and family members of Waldron and those of his girlfriend.

According to a report, all available squad cars from the Clermont Police Department, as well as those from the Lake County Sheriff's Office, were called to the vigil around 8 p.m. At least one officer said when law enforcement reached the scene, about 100 people were in the street and many were yelling at each other.

Officers eventually broke up the vigil.

"Everybody did go home peacefully," Johnson said.

According to the report, people at the scene said there were a number of fights before police arrived. Only one person complained of being hit -- a woman police didn't identify who said she was pushed down and struck her head on the ground after trying to break up a fight.

She said "groups of people on the side of Joshua Waldron's family were placing blame for his death on the other -- and a fight broke out."

Johnson said the woman didn't identify the attacker and declined to press charges. No one was arrested.