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A Minnesota father caught on camera pushing conservative reporter Savanah Hernandez to the ground during an anti-ICE standoff says he was protecting his wife and daughter and insists his family is “absolutely free of violence.”
“We're not violent people at all. In fact, we tend to avoid it,” Chris Ostroushko told podcast host Brian Shapiro in his first interview since the virus incident.
“In fact, that day, you will see that I was not at all in the front during this whole event. I just sat back and watched what was happening,” he added.
Ostroushko, his wife DeYanna and daughter Paige were caught on camera arguing with TPUSA reporter Savanah Hernandez outside the Whipple building in Minnesota on April 11.
TPUSA Frontlines reporter Savanah Hernandez pushed the protester to the ground (Savanah Hernandez/Frontlines TPUSA)
TPUSA REPORTER SAVANAH HERNANDEZ HIT DURING MINNEAPOLIS PROTESTS
Hernandez was referring to the “f— ICE” day protest when he said protesters surrounded him after realizing he was connected to Turning Point USA, a conservative organization founded by Charlie Kirk.
In an interview with Fox News Digital on Thursday, Hernandez strongly disputed the family's account and said the Ostroushkos were abusers.
I can only say that if I hit them first, it will be on the cameras,” said Hernandez. “There are a lot of angles of Paige that come to me as I'm independent. And his mother is the first person who came to start torturing me.”
Hernandez said DeYanna Ostroushko was “pressing her body against me and pushing me several times,” and “her husband then took me from behind and started yelling in my ear.” She said that happened before “Chris Ostroushko then ordered his daughter on camera to 'whistle in my crying ear.'”
“I never went to these people,” Hernandez said. “All three of them came to me. My mother and father first shoved me and then ordered their daughter to hit me.”
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Hernandez also denied the claim that he hit Paige first. He said that after Paige walked within inches of his ear and whistled, he raised his hand only to make space and tried to leave, but he says the Ostroushkos “refused to leave me alone.”
“Every time they attacked me I said I was trying to leave,” he added.
DeYanna Ostroushko, however, told Shapiro that Hernandez caused the conflict and that the family was defending itself.
“I wasn't violent at all. I was trying to protect my daughter at the same time I was trying to destroy the situation,” said DeYanna. “When I was beaten, that's when my husband said, 'Enough, don't stay with my family.'
DeYanna said Hernandez “has a backhand” on Paige before Chris pushed her away.
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“So after that happened, he started walking out of that place … Paige was walking with him, and he hit Paige again, so that was the second attack, and then he pushed Paige to defend herself, and then I yelled at Paige and I said Paige get back here. And she said, 'Mom, you hit me.' “That's when I said, 'Don't touch my daughter,' and that's when he grabbed me by the throat,” DeYanna said.
Trisha Pohland, one of the family's attorneys, backed up that version on the podcast.
“From what I saw, she went and punched Paige in the face when Paige blew the whistle… which she has a right to do and Savanah was the one who hit her,” Pohland said.
Hernandez said he later sought treatment.
“Yes, I went to seek medical attention and they told me I had a multiple sclerosis,” he told Fox News Digital.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon and Vice President JD Vance also confirmed that the FBI has opened an investigation into the attack on Hernandez.
The County Sheriff's Office told Fox News Digital that the case remains under investigation and recommended charges Monday against Paige Marie Ostroushko, Lorenzo Amadeo Garcia and Christopher Ostroushko in connection with the assault on the reporter.
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The Hennepin County District Attorney's Office told Fox News Digital that it received three indictments on Monday and that it is “currently under review for possible charges.”
James Cook, one of Ostroushkos' attorneys, told Fox News Digital that no charges have been filed against Chris and he will not plead guilty.
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Hernandez said he had not heard from the district attorney, but said the sheriff's office told him “it doesn't sound like they have enough evidence to charge Deanna and [was] not recommending the charges against them.”
The Ostroushko family says they are worried since the incident came to light and have lost their jobs, although no arrests were made when Shapiro was interviewed.
“We get death threats, they threaten to rape my wife, they threaten to rape Paige,” said Chris. “They are threatening to come to our house and burn our house…”
He added that he does not wish anything bad on Hernandez.
“You can say 'This was bad.' Some people would say, 'This is not bad.' Either way, it doesn't give people the right to destroy people's lives. It never crossed my mind to try to destroy his life,” he said.
Elizabeth Heckman of Fox News contributed to this report.
