Syracuse, N.Y. — A Syracuse Common Councilor accused of choking a woman on two separate occasions provided police with his own account of the incidents.
Amir Gethers, 27, was arrested and charged with criminal obstruction of breathing and second-degree harassment Wednesday, according to criminal complaint documents filed in Syracuse City Court.
Around 8 a.m. Wednesday, Syracuse police responded to a physical domestic violence call from a woman who said she was Gethers’ ex-girlfriend, according to Onondaga County 911 Center dispatches.
The 28-year-old woman told police that Gethers had choked her on two different days, according to a statement filed in city court.
Gethers provided police with a sworn statement on Wednesday that was obtained by Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard.
In his 9-sentence statement, he does not directly address the allegations that he choked the woman two times. Gethers has not responded to inquiries from Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard on Wednesday and Thursday.
Gethers told police that on Sunday, the night that the woman accused him of choking her the first time, he placed his hand high on her chest near her collarbone in order to wake her up. He refers to her as his ex.
He said once she woke up they began arguing about her speaking to other men, according to Gethers’ statement.
In her statement, she recounted that he began choking her while she was asleep and began yelling at her while holding her neck so tightly that she could not breathe.
Gethers does not directly address that accusation in the statement. He said that after they exchanged words he removed himself from the situation and slept on the couch, according to his statement.
The woman stated that he eventually let go of her throat and went into the living room, according to her statement. She said that the argument continued and Gethers told her she had crossed a line and would have to move out.
She told police that she was the one to end the argument by going back to the bedroom and locking the door.
Gethers told police he and the woman did not speak to one another until Wednesday morning. He said that he told her that he had paperwork to give her and she began questioning whether he was attempting to kick her out or take their child away from her, according to his statement.
He said he clarified that it was not pertaining to that and then he left for work because he had a meeting to attend, according to his statement. It is unclear if he is referring to the Common Council meeting held the same morning. Gethers was not in attendance at the common council meeting.
The woman’s account of what happened on Wednesday differs from Gethers’ account.
She told police that while she was sleeping on Wednesday morning, Gethers began choking her. She clarified that he was not choking her hard enough that she was struggling to breathe, according to her statement.
She called police once Gethers had left, according to dispatches. She told police she did not wish to press charges but she would like an order of protection against Gethers.
Police filed a misdemeanor and a violation charge against Gethers.
He was brought to the Onondaga County Justice Center while he awaited arraignment. He was released Wednesday night after his arraignment.
Gethers, who was 26 at the time of his election, is the youngest Black man to be elected to a Syracuse Common Council seat, according to city records. His was elected as an at-large councilor in Nov. 2021.
The council has the ability to strip a councilor of their seat due to misconduct after a hearing and a three-fourths vote.
Staff writer Anne Hayes covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at ahayes@syracuse.com.