Did police walk into an inferno or throw gas on a candle? (UPDATED)

I may as well head right into the “Questions” segment of the program because that’s all I have regarding the melee at Kokopellis Saturday morning. Let me first say, however, this isn't about supporting or not supporting the police ... it's getting to the bottom of what happened. If the police screwed up they should be held accountable  - just like anyone else. If they didn't, they didn't. It's really as simple as that and only an outside investigation will answer the question.

-On Wednesday, Troy police released radio transmissions from officers outside the bar calling for help in controlling an unruly and aggressive crowd, but they are not time stamped so when they were the calls made? The department also released transcripts of two 911 calls made at 2:37 a.m. One by the bartender and another by an unidentified caller, who claims there were 100 people fighting. Despite media reports, there was no audio of the 911 calls released to the public.

-There is 30 minutes of video, from four different angles, taken from inside the bar beginning at 2:47 a.m. which disputes the 911 transcript in that it looks like a pretty orderly crowd. On Thursday, on the Times Union website, bar owner Barry Glick said there was a disturbance but it was under control by the time police got there. We don’t know what happened prior to 2:37 a.m. outside of the 911 transcripts. Again, did the radio transmission occur before or after the video footage? Is there any footage of outside the bar?

-If there was chaos outside the bar at or before 2:47 a.m., however, why did half a dozen officers decide to come inside the bar? (photo to the left is of Roshowan Donley, who police arrested in the bar. It can be seen on the videos.) The question then becomes did police use excessive force when they arrested Donley or did they use only the force necessary to place him under arrest?

-Why is it the incident reports, also as reported by the Times Union, claim police showed up at the bar and were greeted with chaos when the Mobile Command Center was set up on Fourth Street at 10 p.m. Friday and were there until at least 3 a.m. Saturday? In other words: Police were already there, and there with an extra four officers on special duty in anticipation of problems. So when, and how, did everything get so out of hand?

-Where is Mayor Lou Rosamilia? I give him credit for backing up the police pending an investigation but he needs to make a public appearance and not just issue a statement. Obviously, there is a good chunk of the community who thinks police used excessive force and a good chunk who don't think they did. the mayor should be front and center to diffuse what is an already explosive situation.

-Why isn’t anyone in city government calling for an independent investigation outside of Chief John Tedesco. I find it kind of ironic that he and Rev. Willie Bacote are on the same side of anything, but they are on this one. Police Commissioner Anthony Magnetto, Rosamilia – as reported on Channel 13 – and Police Benevolent Association President Bob Fitzgerald all say the investigation should be done in house by Internal Affairs. Why, though, would they want to keep it in house?

-And the question everyone wants, and deserves, an answer to is: Did police throw gas on a candle or did they walk into an inferno?

I don’t know the answer to the last. I wasn’t there. And there is more to the story than just watching the video and/or listening to radio transmissions. What I do know is the only way to get an answer that satisfies everyone involved is if someone besides the Troy Police Department conducts a thorough investigation as the chief, Bacote and the Times Union are calling for.

-Two other questions readers came up with are: Does Donley have a criminal record and if Kokopellis had been issued nuisance abatement points in the past? Anyone know the answers?