A man charged with slashing a fire hose outside the Penn-North CVS that was set on fire during the riots last April now faces federal charges.
Authorities allege Greg Butler Jr., 23, was the man who was seen on national television wearing a gas mask and cutting a hose that firefighters attempted to use to extinguish the burning CVS pharmacy. The store was later torn down due to the damage but is being rebuilt.
Neither Butler, or his attorney, J. Wyndal Gordon, appeared in court Thursday when a city assistant state's attorney announced the state was dropping local charges because Butler's case will be prosecuted federally. Butler had been charged locally with obstructing firefighters, reckless endangerment, and malicious destruction of property after riots erupted April 27 following the funeral for Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old who died after suffering a severe spinal cord injury while in police custody.