DENVER — A man allegedly tore the police badge off a Denver officer's chest and cut the officer's throat while he was responding to a welfare check early Friday morning.
The officer responded to a call for a welfare check in the 600 block of North Pennsylvania Street around 12:30 a.m., according to the Denver Police Department.
While the officer was interviewing the person who made the call, a man came out of the building, approached the officer and tore his police badge off his chest, according to the probable cause (PC) statement. He then cut the officer's throat with the badge pin, leaving a 6-inch cut on the left side of his neck, the document states.
The man then allegedly tried to pull the officer's gun out of the holster. The officer was able to call a second officer for backup.
The second officer arrived and began to fight the man, who tried to remove the officer's Taser from the holster, the PC statement states. The second officer suffered a cut to his hand during the altercation.
The man, identified by police as Neil Hagerty, 57, was taking into custody and is being held on investigation of aggravated assault to a peace officer.
The officers were treated for their injuries and released from the hospital, according to Denver PD.
Haggerty is a musician best known for his alternative rock band the Royal Trux, which was formed in 1987 and was active until 2001.
