Crowd hurls racist, obscene insults at Kennewick police

A crowd chanted racist and obscene insults at Kennewick police as they arrested a fugitive and his teenage son last week.

Acting on a Crime Stoppers tip, police went to an apartment building in the 1100 block of North Buchanan Street at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 23 to arrest Kenyon D. Brooks, 34, for six outstanding warrants.

Brooks’ 17-year-old son came out the front door to “aggressively” confront police, while Brooks tried to escape through a back room window, Sgt. Ken Lattin said.

Brooks had tried to escape through the window during a previous arrest attempt, but police were ready this time and apprehended him.

His son was arrested on suspicion of obstructing police after several officers had to wrestle the 6-foot-2, 200-pound teenager to the ground to be handcuffed.

A large crowd formed. Some people began videotaping the arrests while others began chanting insults. About 15-20 officers responded as backup from Kennewick and Richland, as well as the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.

Officers were able to remove the arrested people and leave the area without any physical incidents.

“It was very tense,” Lattin said. “This doesn’t happen very often.”

Kenyon Brooks was arrested on suspicion of obstructing a police officer and resisting arrest, in addition to the six warrants.

On Dec. 5, he was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and released. A bench warrant was issued on Dec. 21, according to court records. The charge has yet to be tried.

Brooks has felony convictions for second-degree theft in 2007, residential burglary in 2005 and delivery of cocaine in 2004, according to court records. He faced 20 cases against him in Benton County District Court, and two in Pasco municipal court.

A third member of the family, Avery D. Brooks, 36, of Kennewick, was arrested for an outstanding warrant.

“Their family is well known to us,” Lattin said.

Last year, Avery Brooks was charged with third-degree assault for domestic violence and pleaded guilty. In 1999, he pleaded guilty to second-degree malicious mischief and bail jumping, after being charged with burglary. He has felony convictions for residential burglary, forgery and possessing cocaine, according to court records.

Avery Brooks faced 37 court cases in Benton County District Court, four in Pasco Municipal Court, two in Grant County District Court, one in Franklin County District Court and one in Yakima County District Court.

The 17-year-old was taken to Trios Health to be checked for minor wounds stemming from his fight with police, Lattin said.

Family members and his mother followed police to the hospital, where they began causing a disturbance by yelling until several officers ordered them to leave, Lattin said.

This story was originally published December 28, 2016 at 3:36 PM with the headline "Crowd hurls racist, obscene insults at Kennewick police."