Off Duty Police Officer Allegedly Pulls Gun During A Snowball Fight Game

By Kamika Dunlap on December 21, 2009 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

During a snowball fight game, hundreds of young people took advantage of a winter storm with a little restless indulgence.

But the fun at the DC Snowpocalypse Guerrilla Snowball Fight 2009 took a strange turn when an off duty police officer allegedly pulled a gun during the snowball fight game.

The 20- and 30-somethings hurled snowballs at each other, but one of their projectiles also hit a Hummer, whose driver was an off duty plainclothes policeman, the Los Angeles Times reports.

"Don't bring a gun to a snowball fight!" is what a group of young adults were chanting after the off duty police officer allegedly pulled his gun.

Participants said gas-guzzling Hummers became a target, mainly because of the crowd's political leanings.

According to video footage and witnesses, the plaincothes police detective got out his Hummer, drew his gun and exchanged angry words with revelers.

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Police initially denied any weapon had been displayed until video footage and witnesses indicated otherwise.

The off-duty police officer was later filmed admitting the over-zealous action, saying: "I did it because I got hit with snowballs."

The Washington Post reports that if the final investigation shows that the off duty police officer pulled his weapon after being pelted with snowballs, Assistant Chief Pete Newsham said, that "would not be a situation in which a member [of the force] would be justified."

The uniformed officer who arrived on the scene holstered his weapon when he recognized the plainclothes off duty police officer, officials said.

Currently, the Washington, D.C. off duty police officer is on desk duty while the department investigates reports he pulled a gun during a mass snowball fight on a city street.

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