The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission agents involved in a June raid at a Fort Worth gay bar violated agency policies and face disciplinary action, says an internal agency report released on Thursday, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram .
The 32-page TABC document details what transpired on June 28 when agents and Fort Worth police officers entered the Rainbow Lounge to conduct a bar check. The controversial operation on the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots resulted in six arrests for public intoxication and the hospitalization of one patron, Chad Gibson, for one week with a head injury.
According to the report, agents Christopher Aller and Jason Chapman violated TABC policy because they participated in the operation without approval, failed to follow bar inspection procedures, failed to report using force against patrons, and failed to report a patron was injured, among other reasons.
The agents’ supervisor, Sgt. Terry Parsons, who was not at the Rainbow Lounge and did not approve the operation, is also charged with violations.
Disciplinary actions, which could range from a verbal warning to termination, are pending against the agents.
A separate report will be released later this summer on the agents’ use of force, including the actions that led to Gibson’s injuries.
The Forth Worth police department, which was also involved in the raid, continues its internal investigation.
Also on Thursday, the U.S. attorney for the area, James Jacks, said that his office would not conduct an independent investigation into the raid as requested by city officials. Jacks said it was the responsibility of the FBI to investigate violations of federal civil rights statutes, if warranted.
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