CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) -- A Cranston landlord and several tenants are facing disorderly conduct charges after a fight on Tuesday, Target 12 has confirmed.
Residents of 1890 Broad St. made news earlier this month when The Boston Globe profiled their effort to form a tenants union to combat what they described as deplorable conditions at the apartment complex.
Cranston police responded to the property Tuesday and said multiple people were arrested after a fight broke out between the property's owner Jeffrey Butler, 59, and multiple tenants. Butler was charged with disorderly conduct, along with tenants Eugene Vasquez, 21, Kellee Silva, 24, and her father Robert Silva, 50, of Warwick.
WATCH: Body-worn camera footage of the arrests (Story continues below.)
A justice of the peace arraigned and then released all four people Tuesday at Cranston police headquarters, according to police.
Earlier this month, a city inspector issued two citations against Butler's management company, Elmwood Realty, after inspecting several apartments and the building's exterior.
The citations were sent on April 1, demanding the various code issues be fixed within ten days.
"My understanding is that the owner has already addressed some of the violations," Mayor Ken Hopkins said Wednesday in response to criticism from his political rival, state Rep. Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung, who is running a campaign to replace the incumbent mayor.
Last week, Fenton-Fung called a Globe article detailing the condition of the property "stomach churning."
"When wondering how this is allowed to continue despite residents raising alarms, it's notable that the landlord has become a frequent donor to Mayor Hopkins since he was running for, and became, mayor," Fenton-Fung said in a statement.
Cranston police released body-worn camera video Wednesday showing officers responding to the property after the fight Tuesday. Tenants said the landlord came in to do an inspection and then a fight ensued. The video shows both sides screaming at each another.
"He punched me in the mouth," Vasquez tells one officer. "Look at my wrist, bro."
Both the landlord and tenants took videos of the fight.
Officers said in a police report about the fight that the videos showed Butler arguing with Vasquez and Kellee Silva, with both sides swearing at each other.
Robert Silva took issue with what Butler was saying to Silva, according to police, and he got so close to Butler while yelling at him "the male parties made contact with each other."
"Seconds later Vasquez and Butler are both seen swinging their arms at each other attempting to knock one another's phone of their hands," according to the report.
After reviewing videos, police can be heard saying on the body-worn cameras that told both sides appeared disorderly.
Both the landlord and tenants told police they wanted to press charges, ultimately leading to the arrests.
Vasquez and Kellee Silva asked police to charge Butler with assault, but police wrote in the report that "although parties were pushing and shoving, along with trying to knock phones out of each other's hands, no assault can be see on camera from either view."
Butler did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
Tim White (twhite@wpri.com) is Target 12 managing editor and chief investigative reporter and host of Newsmakers for 12 News. Connect with him on Twitter and Facebook.
Eli Sherman (esherman@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter for 12 News. Connect with him on Twitter and on Facebook.
Sarah Guernelli contributed to this report.