OAKLAND, Calif. — The Iraq War veteran injured when anti-Wall Street protesters clashed with police in Oakland, Calif., has been upgraded to fair condition.
A hospital spokesman says the 24-year-old veteran and Wisconsin native, Scott Olsen, was moved into an intensive care unit today.
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His uncle, George Nygaard, tells The Associated Press from Wisconsin that Olsen’s parents were heading to California this morning.
Olsen apparently suffered a fractured skull Tuesday in a march with other protesters toward Oakland City Hall. The demonstrators were trying to re-establish a presence in the area of a disbanded protesters’ camp when they were met by officers.
It’s not known exactly what type of object struck Olsen or who might have thrown it, though the group Iraq Veterans Against the War said officers were responsible for his injury.
Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan says officials will investigate whether officers used excessive force.
Since he was injured, Olsen’s name has become a rallying cry for protesters around the nation. On Wednesday night, demonstrators in New York City, where the movement began last month, marched in support of their counterparts in Oakland.
Roommate Keith Shannon says that Olsen joined the protests as he worked his day job as a network engineer. He left his apartment at night to sleep alongside protesters.
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