A motorist fired pepper spray Saturday at a group of protesters and counter-protesters outside a funeral for a U.S. Marine in Omaha, Nebraska, police said.
The incident occurred shortly before 10 a.m. (11 a.m. ET) as members of a small Kansas church that protests at military funerals and counter-protesters stood about a half block away from First United Methodist Church during services for Staff Sgt. Michael Bock, 26, who died August 13 in Afghanistan's Helmand province.
A man in a Ford-150 pickup truck drove up, extended his arm and sprayed with a large can, police said. His vehicle was stopped a few minutes later.
"Initial indications are he was probably targeting the Westboro Baptist Church" protesters, said officer Michael Pecha, a spokesman for Omaha police.
George Vogel, 62, who lives just north of Omaha, was booked for 16 counts of misdemeanor assault and one count of felony assault on a police officer for the pepper-spray exposure, police said. Vogel also faces one count of child neglect because his child was in the truck, Pecha told CNN.
Westboro members, led by pastor Fred Phelps, claim that God is punishing the United States for "the sin of homosexuality," and soldiers' deaths are part of that punishment. Members have traveled the country, shouting at grieving family members at funerals and displaying such signs as "Thank God for Dead Soldiers," "God Blew Up the Troops" and "AIDS Cures Fags."
A 2005 protest by church members at the funeral of a Missouri soldier prompted state lawmakers to pass legislation criminalizing picketing "in front or about" a funeral location or procession. A federal judge earlier this month rejected Missouri's tight restrictions, saying they violated the free speech clause of the First Amendment.
It was unclear Saturday evening whether any of the 16 victims were Westboro Baptist members or counter-protesters. About a dozen members of Westboro were on hand, Pecha said.
The incident occurred during the funeral, as nearly 600 members of the Patriot Guard ringed the church and stood vigil, the group's state leader said.
Scott Knudsen, Patriot Guard Riders captain for Nebraska, said no members of the Patriot Guard had any interaction with the church members or counter-protesters, which he numbered Saturday at about 12.
"We don't get close to them," Knudsen said of the Westboro members. "We have our backs to them."
Patriot Guard members, who come when they are invited by families, shield families from distraction, Knudsen said.
"We don't condone counter-protesters," said Knudsen, adding he was troubled by Saturday's incident.
"It's inappropriate," he said. "It's a funeral service."
Extra officers were on hand for any possible altercations, but there were only verbal exchanges before the truck drove up, police said. There were no altercations between Westboro members and the Patriot Guard, Pecha said.
Messages to Topeka-based Westboro Baptist Church weren't returned Saturday night.
