A Minnesota father caught on digicam shoving conservative reporter Savanah Hernandez to the bottom throughout a chaotic anti-ICE protest says he was defending his spouse and daughter and insists his household is “completely not violent.”
“We’re completely not violent folks. In truth, we are likely to draw back from it,” Chris Ostroushko informed podcast host Brian Shapiro in his first interview because the viral incident.
“In truth, that day, you’ll see I used to be not even up within the entrance in any respect throughout this complete occasion. I simply stayed again and sort of watched what was happening,” he added.
Ostroushko, his spouse DeYanna and daughter Paige had been seen on digicam in an altercation with TPUSA reporter Savanah Hernandez exterior the Whipple constructing in Minnesota on April 11.
Hernandez was protecting the protest for “f— ICE day” when she says demonstrators surrounded her after realizing she was affiliated with Turning Level USA, the conservative group based by Charlie Kirk.
In an interview with Fox Information Digital on Thursday, Hernandez strongly disputed the household’s account and stated the Ostroushkos had been the aggressors.
“I might simply say if I hit them first, it might be on digicam,” Hernandez stated. “There’s a number of angles of Paige strolling as much as me as I’m standing on my own. And likewise her mother is the primary one who got here as much as begin harassing me.”
Hernandez stated DeYanna Ostroushko was “urgent her physique up in opposition to me and shoving me a number of instances,” whereas “her husband then shoved me from behind and began screaming in my ear.”
She stated that occurred earlier than “Chris Ostroushko then instructed his daughter on digicam to go and ‘blow the whistle in my effing ear.’”
“At no level was I strolling as much as these folks,” Hernandez stated. “All three of them walked as much as me. The mom and father shoved me first after which instructed their daughter to return assault me.”
Hernandez additionally rejected the declare that she hit Paige first. She stated that after Paige moved inside inches of her ear and blew a whistle, she solely raised her hand to create house and tried to stroll away, however she says the Ostroushkos “refused to depart me alone.”
“Each single time they attacked me was whereas I used to be attempting to depart,” she added.
DeYanna Ostroushko, nevertheless, informed Shapiro that Hernandez instigated the conflict and that the household was defending itself.
“I wasn’t violent in any respect. I used to be attempting to guard my daughter whereas on the similar time attempting to de-escalate the scenario,” DeYanna stated. “Once I was assaulted, that’s when my husband stated, ‘That’s sufficient, don’t eff with my household.’”
DeYanna claimed Hernandez “backhanded” Paige earlier than Chris pushed her.
“So after that occurred, she began to maneuver out of that space … Paige was transferring out along with her, and he or she had punched Paige once more, in order that was a second assault, after which Paige pushed her to defend herself, after which I yelled at Paige and I stated, ‘Paige, get again right here.’
“And she or he stated, ‘Mother, she punched me.’ And that’s once I stated, ‘Don’t effing contact my daughter,’ and that’s when she grabbed me by the throat,” DeYanna stated.
Trisha Pohland, one of many household’s attorneys, backed that model on the podcast.
“Based mostly off what I’ve seen, she went and hit Paige within the face when Paige was blowing a whistle … which she has each proper to do and Savanah was the one which hit her,” Pohland stated.
Hernandez stated she later sought medical remedy.
“Yeah, I went and I sought medical consideration and so they did inform me that I do have a concussion and a number of sprains,” she informed Fox Information Digital.
Assistant Legal professional Common Harmeet Dhillon and Vice President JD Vance have additionally confirmed that the FBI has opened an investigation into the assault on Hernandez.
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Workplace informed Fox Information Digital that the case stays below investigation and that it beneficial fees Monday in opposition to Paige Marie Ostroushko, Lorenzo Amadeo Garcia and Christopher Ostroushko in reference to the assault of a journalist.
The Hennepin County Legal professional’s Workplace informed Fox Information Digital it had acquired three case submissions Monday and that they’re “at the moment below evaluate for potential charging.”
James Cook dinner, one of many Ostroushkos’ attorneys, informed Fox Information Digital that no fees had but been filed in opposition to Chris and that he wouldn’t plead responsible.
Hernandez stated she had not but heard instantly from county prosecutors, however stated the sheriff’s workplace informed her it “didn’t really feel like that they had adequate proof to cost Deanna and [was] not recommending fees in opposition to her.”
The Ostroushko household says they’ve been doxed because the incident went viral and have misplaced jobs, regardless of not being arrested on the time of Shapiro’s interview.
“We’re getting demise threats, they’re threatening to rape my spouse, threatening to rape Paige,” Chris stated. “They’re threatening to return to our home and burn our home down…”
He added that he wished no ailing will towards Hernandez.
“You might say ‘This was unhealthy.’ Some folks might say, ‘This isn’t unhealthy.’ Both method, it doesn’t give folks the correct to destroy folks’s lives. It’s by no means even crossed my thoughts to attempt to destroy her life,” he stated.
