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Paul volunteer receives summons in stomping outside Kentucky debate

By the CNN Wire Staff
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Woman stomped at Kentucky debate
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • NEW: Volunteer for Rand Paul campaign served summons by police
  • Paul campaign calls first reported incident "incredibly unfortunate"
  • Campaign also says volunteer Tim Profitt's help will no longer be accepted
  • Incidents take place outside a debate between U.S. Senate candidates in Kentucky

Check out the report on CNN affiliate WDRB-TV in Louisville, Kentucky.

(CNN) -- A campaign volunteer for Kentucky Senate candidate Rand Paul was identified by police Tuesday as a suspect in the stomping of a woman outside the venue of a televised debate Monday night.

Tim Profitt "is currently being served with a criminal summons ordering him to appear before a Fayette County District Court Judge," said a statement issued by the Lexington Division of Police.

No court date for the appearance has been set, said Sherelle Roberts, the police public information officer.

According to Roberts, the summons involved a possible fourth-degree assault charge, a misdemeanor, and the judge will determine whether any formal charge is filed. The summons was issued because no police officer was present to witness the alleged assault, as required for a misdemeanor arrest, Roberts said.

Jesse Benton, the campaign manager for Paul, confirmed Tuesday that Profitt was a volunteer for the campaign. Benton said the campaign would no longer accept Profitt's help.

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"We have disassociated ourselves with him," Benton told CNN.

Lauren Valle, an employee with the liberal group MoveOn.org, was stomped by a man wearing a "Rand Paul for Senate" T-shirt outside the debate between the Republican Paul and Democrat Jack Conway.

In video footage from CNN affiliate WDRB-TV in Louisville, several men wearing Paul shirts or stickers are seen ripping a blond wig off the head of Valle and pushing her to the ground. One of the men stomps on her shoulder with his foot, which then lands on the side of her head.

People were shouting, "Get the cops. Get the police out here," during the incident.

Valle filed an assault report with the Lexington police, and investigators used video footage to try to identify those involved, Roberts said.

Roberts confirmed that a second assault report was filed Monday night by a woman who said her foot was stepped on in a crowd outside the debate venue before the event. In that case, Roberts said, the victim "was unsure if it was purposeful or accidental."

Local media reports said the woman who filed the second assault report was a Paul supporter, but Roberts was unable to confirm that information. Roberts said that the woman had her foot in a cast from recent surgery and that her foot was re-injured in the incident.

Paul's campaign called the altercation involving Valle "incredibly unfortunate."

"Violence of any kind has no place in our civil discourse, and we urge supporters on all sides to be civil to one another as tensions rise heading toward this very important election," a campaign statement said.

Valle told WDRB that she was there to present Paul with an award from RepubliCorp. The MoveOn.org-created group focuses on what it calls the merger between corporate America and the Republican Party. Its slogan: "Buying Democracy, One Race at a Time."

"We're here to present Rand Paul with the 'Employee of the Month' award. However, his supporters were not very nice to me and my message, which is the same as everyone else -- just wanted to get out here with a sign," Valle of East Falmouth, Massachusetts, told WDRB. "I got my head stepped on, so I have a bit of a headache."

Justin Ruben, executive director of MoveOn.org, said in a statement Tuesday the organization is "appalled at the violent incident that occurred."

"Numerous news reports clearly show that the young woman -- a MoveOn supporter -- was assaulted and pushed to the ground by Rand Paul supporters, where one man held her down while another stomped on her head. This kind of violence has no place in American society, much less at a peaceful political rally," the statement said.

The organization said its first concern was Valle's well-being, but she is recovering.

"We are concerned that no arrests have been made, and we hope those responsible will be brought to justice quickly, and that Rand Paul will join us in condemning this horrible act," Ruben said in the statement.

Valle, who complained of soreness to her temple, told police she would seek medical attention herself.

Lexington Police Lt. Edward Hart said all of the people who accosted Valle in the video are subject to charges.

"Her purpose was to try to get a picture with Rand Paul with this [RepubliCorp] sign so it could be used to embarrass Rand Paul in commercials," Hart said, recounting what Valle told officers. She described herself as a contract employee with MoveOn.org.

Valle was wearing a "I'm a Rand Fan" sticker on her red hooded sweatshirt, the video showed.

The election is November 2.

CNN's Jason Kessler, Kevin Bohn, Ed Payne and Tom Cohen contributed to this report.