The Honolulu Fire Department confirms it is investigating allegations that a firefighter physically assaulted a man in Waimanalo Sunday night.
Glen Murray, 53, said he did nothing to provoke the attack.
Murray said he was having a barbecue with his son at about 9:30 p.m. Sunday, when firefighters arrived. He said he approached the driver of the fire truck. "To explain that we had a barbecue and we did it in a safe manner."
Murray said he turned for a moment when the firefighter in the driver’s seat attacked him. "For no apparent reason and unprovoked, he jumped out of the cab, landed on the ground and slammed me to the ground. Then he jumped on top of me and started hitting me about my head and face approximately 10 times," Murray said.
Murray had cuts on his forehead and ear, as well as knuckle-sized bruises on this forehead and temples.
Sources told KITV4 the firefighter claims Murray pushed him before he threw one punch.
"That's a complete fabrication. I had no reason to feel hostile toward them," Murray said.
Two area residents told KITV4 they never saw Murray push the firefighter, but they saw the firefighter repeatedly punching Murray as he lay on the ground.
One resident is an acquaintance of Murray. The other resident did not know him.
Murray's ex-girlfriend, Lorraine Monico said she was most upset that no one tried to stop the fight. "I screamed. I said, 'you guys are so unprofessional' because everybody just stood around and just went slamming on him and he did nothing," Monico said.
Preston Alonzo saw it all from his apartment balcony. "All I saw was Glen walk up to the guy, then the guy jumped out of the car and superman punched him at first. Then he started throwing blows at him," Alonzo said.
The 16-year-old boy said Murray only tried to protect himself. “He never even hit him back. He was just guarding himself. All bleeding. His head was bleeding and his other ear too,” Alonzo said.
When Alonzo ran down to the scene, he heard firefighters yelling at Monico. "All I saw was the firefighters tell his (ex-girlfriend) to shut up, you never saw nothing,” Alonzo said. Alonzo said the firefighter involved was in bad shape emotionally. “He was just shocked too because he was sitting down with his hands on his head," Alonzo said.
Murray called police from the Queen's Medical Center where he sought treatment for his injuries. After he filed a police report, Murray said the officer gave him an ultimatum.
"He said well, 'I just talked to the Waimanlo cops and the firefighter and they said if you don't press charges, they won't press charges against you.' And I did nothing wrong!" Murray said.
Murray has previously won a police brutality settlement from the city. Murray was arrested for driving under the influence in April of 1990. He accused an officer of beating him up and breaking his nose while he was being booked.
Murray received an $18,000 settlement.
Murray was convicted on DUI charges in 1990, but he said he was not drinking Sunday night.
KITV4 could not track down a police report for the alleged assault on Murray, but police officials said on cases like this, reports could be filed two to three days later.
The name of the firefighter is unknown. Murray and other witnesses said the firefighter was wearing a Honolulu Fire Department T-shirt which does not have an identification badge.
HFD spokesman Terry Seelig would only say the department is aware of the allegations, it does not know if they are accurate and the department is investigating.
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