Three men are charged with disobeying police commands during a tense standoff Monday night between a crowd and officers in West Baltimore.
Tavon Benson, 24, Aaron Sims, 24, and Ralph Pritchett, 51, were arrested in the standoff on Pennsylvania Avenue, police said.
It's the first criminal charge against Benson, according to online court records. He's an organizer with Druid Heights Community Development Corp.
"I'm viewed as a criminal now," he said.
Sims and Pritchett were also charged with disorderly conduct, police said. The two men could not be reached Tuesday for comment. Online court records did not list their attorneys.
Moments before Sims' arrest, he told The Baltimore Sun the heavy police presence was "uncalled for" and "crazy" following a vigil for popular Baltimore rapper Tyriece Watson, known as Lor Scoota. He was shot and killed Saturday evening while in his car in Northeast Baltimore.
Several hundred people gathered peacefully Monday for the late-afternoon vigil. By night, police said they were blocking the street. Officers commanded people to leave and the crowd refused. A few agitators threw bricks and bottles at officers, police said.
Shortly after 8:30 p.m., as many as 40 officers formed a line, shoulder to shoulder, across Pennsylvania Avenue. Officers slowly walked forward. The standoff continued more than two hours.
Benson said he was sitting on his bicycle when the police line drew close.
"I didn't say a word. I didn't throw anything. ... Only thing I did was basically sit on my bike and stand my ground."
The standoff ended peacefully by 11 p.m. The crowd dispersed; the police left.