Ohio State University Professor Suspended Following Physical Altercation with Independent Journalist
COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio State University assistant professor has been placed on paid administrative leave following a physical confrontation with a journalist that was captured on video and circulated widely on social media. The university confirmed the suspension of Luke Perez, a faculty member within the Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society, pending an investigation by the Ohio State University Police Department (OSUPD).
The incident occurred on Monday evening inside Smith Laboratory, where former university president E. Gordon Gee had been a guest speaker for a class. Independent documentarian Michael Newman and D.J. Byrnes, a writer for the local newsletter The Rooster, approached Gee in the hallway to ask questions regarding his tenure and university donor relations.
According to video footage released by The Rooster, as Newman attempted to question Gee, Perez stepped between the two men. The video shows Perez physically obstructing the journalist before striking the camera equipment and wrestling Newman to the ground. In the recording, Perez can be heard shouting, “I told you not to put that in my face,” while standing over the journalist.
Newman, an Ohio State alumnus, stated in subsequent interviews that he suffered minor injuries during the takedown, describing the contact as a “tackle.” He asserted that he was in a public building attempting to ask questions of a public figure when the altercation took place.
University spokesperson Ben Johnson released a statement addressing the matter, characterizing the event as “very concerning.”
“The faculty member involved has been placed on administrative leave pending a full OSUPD investigation and thorough review of the facts,” Johnson stated. “Ohio State is committed to freedom of the press and the safety of our community members.”
While Newman was initially detained by campus police on suspicion of criminal trespassing, those charges were dropped by the university on Wednesday. The investigation into the alleged assault by Perez remains active.
Perez joined the Ohio State faculty as part of the newly established Salmon P. Chase Center, an academic unit created by the state legislature to promote civics and diverse political thought. His academic profile lists expertise in American grand strategy, the ethics of war, and religious freedom. Critics and local journalism advocates have noted the irony of a professor from a center dedicated to civil discourse being involved in the physical suppression of a journalist.
E. Gordon Gee, who is currently serving as a consultant for the university following his presidency, was present during the altercation but did not physically engage with the reporters. He has not issued a separate comment regarding the incident.
As of Friday, Perez has not publicly responded to requests for comment, and the university has not provided a timeline for the conclusion of its internal review.
* ground.news
* nationaltoday.com
* 10tv.com
* scallywagandvagabond.com
* thelantern.com
* wkyc.com
* wosu.org
* inquisitr.com
