Christopher Ostroushko, his wife DeYanna Ostroushko, and their daughter Paige were each charged by a federal grand jury with one count of assault. Christopher and Paige also face an additional charge of interfering with a federally protected activity. The incident took place on April 11 outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, which has been used as a short-term holding facility by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The charges stem from a confrontation captured on video. In footage widely shared online, Paige Ostroushko is seen blowing a whistle close to journalist Savanah Hernandez’s face. The situation quickly escalated into a physical altercation. Hernandez, who was reporting on protests against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement, said she was pushed, shoved to the ground, and assaulted by the three family members.
According to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, Christopher Ostroushko “forcefully shoved the victim in the back, head first to the ground.” Hernandez later reported that she suffered a concussion, a sore neck and back, scraped legs, and broken glasses. She spoke with police about pressing charges after the incident.
The area around the federal building has become a frequent site of protests against ICE operations and the Trump administration’s immigration policies. The Ostroushko family was known for regularly joining these demonstrations.
Attorneys for the family said they plan to mount a strong defense. James Cook, their lawyer, noted that the videos circulating online do not show the full context of what happened. He believes evidence in the videos will help exonerate the family and described the case as one where they can provide a “vigorous defense.”
Cook added that the family has faced online threats since the incident and that both Christopher and DeYanna lost their jobs. “They wish they could turn back the clock,” he said. “They wish that things didn’t turn out how they did.”
Christopher Ostroushko also faces a separate state misdemeanor assault charge. The family is scheduled to appear before a federal judge on May 12.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche condemned the incident in a statement, saying the Department of Justice will punish “unhinged acts of political violence.” He emphasized that Hernandez was “surrounded, physically assaulted, and shoved to the ground — simply because she was identified by the defendants as a conservative journalist.”
Hernandez expressed gratitude that the justice system was addressing the case.
The indictment does not mean the family has been convicted. Their attorneys stressed that they are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.