He described her movements as unpredictable.
He said the badge fell accidentally.
And he initially denied deliberately stepping on it.
The investigator asked about the slap.
Pike said he'd reacted defensively when the woman moved toward him.
The investigator requested clarification.
What movement?
How close?
What threat did he perceive?
Pike's answers were broad.
He described the scene as tense.
The crowd as hostile.
And the widow as noncompliant.
The investigator listened.
Then asked whether the seventy-nine-year-old woman had struck or threatened him.
Pike hesitated.
Finally, he acknowledged that she hadn't struck him.
The investigator asked about the baton.
Pike argued that the gathering crowd made him concerned for his safety.
The interviewer noted that the baton appeared directed toward the widow, not the surrounding crowd.
Pike disputed that interpretation.
The investigator didn't argue.
He documented the answer.
Then asked whether Pike's body camera recorded the interaction.
The sergeant said it malfunctioned.
The investigator asked whether he'd noticed the failure.
Pike hesitated.
Then admitted he'd disabled an audio function during the earlier store inquiry and had not restored the device to its normal recording state before confronting the widow.
The explanation raised serious concerns.
The investigator requested the device logs and relevant department policies.
Pike's attorney advised him to answer carefully.
The sergeant looked toward the table.
For several seconds, he remained silent.
Then said, "I was following my training."
The investigator asked which part of the training authorized the force described.
Pike couldn't identify one.
The store video established several important facts.
It showed the widow leaving after a legitimate purchase.
It showed Pike taking her bag.
It captured the badge falling.
And it showed his boot moving directly over the insignia.
The front camera's audio was limited, but the young officer's recording captured much of the dialogue.
It also showed Pike shoving the widow and striking her face.
Several civilian recordings provided additional angles.
The combined evidence supported an increasingly clear sequence.
The widow did not match the original suspect description.
The store owner confirmed her purchase.
She attempted to explain the contents of her bag.
The sergeant escalated the encounter.
And the physical force used against her was not supported by an apparent threat from the elderly woman.
The investigators also examined the general's intervention.
The video showed that the baton was raised when he arrived.
It showed him restraining the arm briefly.
Then releasing it after the immediate movement stopped.