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The Oregon lawyer who was pepper-sprayed by Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler over the weekend has released a statement saying he is "remorseful" after his confrontation with the official, according to a report.
Cary Cadonau issued a statement late Wednesday regarding his Sunday evening run-in with the Democratic mayor, telling local news station KGW8 he has contacted Wheeler’s office "to request an opportunity to amicably resolve this matter."
"I am sorry that he felt the need to use pepper spray," Cadonau said in the statement, according to KGW8. "I cherish Portland and our local community and recognize that Mayor Wheeler has a very difficult job."
Cadonau did not respond to Fox News’ requests seeking comment.
He added: "I would also like to apologize to my law partners for my conduct." An employee at the law firm where Cadonau is believed to work would not comment when contacted by KGW8.
A police report released Tuesday said Wheeler pepper-sprayed Cadonau after Cadonau confronted him leaving a restaurant on Sunday evening and accused him of not wearing a mask. He also allegedly tried to obtain a copy of the mayor’s meal receipt and surveillance footage from his time inside the restaurant, police said.
No charges have been filed in the incident.
MAN PEPPER-SPRAYED BY PORTLAND MAYOR TED WHEELER IS A LAWYER, HEIR TO DAIRY COMPANY: REPORTS
Wheeler had been dining in a tented area with Sam Adams, who served one term as Portland mayor, from 2009 to 2013. The men were walking to their cars when Cadonau approached, unmasked, and got close to the mayor's face while filming with his phone, according to police reports.
Wheeler told the man of current COVID-19 regulations, which allows people to take their mask off to eat or drink, according to a statement the mayor gave to police.
"He accused me of sitting in a restaurant without a mask," the report said. "In fact, I was in the tented area of a restaurant sitting at a table, and I informed him the current Covid regulations allow people to take their mask off for the purpose of eating and drinking."
The mayor's statement continued: "He then accused me of other things to which I indicated he did not understand the rules and should probably have a better understanding if he was going to confront people about them."
Wheeler said that the man stood within 1 or 2 feet of him, and Wheeler became concerned for his safety and contracting COVID-19. Wheeler told the man to "back off" and that he was carrying pepper spray, which he would use if necessary. When the man did not listen, the mayor said he sprayed him in the eyes.
"He seemed surprised and backed off," Wheeler told police. "He made a comment like, ‘I can’t believe you just pepper-sprayed me.’"
Adams, whose statement to police was consistent with the mayor’s, suggested to Wheeler he should leave for his safety. Before doing so, Wheeler said he threw a bottle of water toward the man so that he could wash his eyes, he told police.
PORTLAND MAYOR WHEELER PEPPER-SPRAYS MAN WHO CONFRONTED HIM AS HE LEFT PUB
Cadonau told police when contacted Monday that he didn't want to discuss the matter because he was an attorney. He said the mayor should be held "accountable" but declined to elaborate, according to the police report.
Cadonau was asked why he attempted to get surveillance footage from the restaurant in Portland's Hillsdale neighborhood, as well as Wheeler's food and drink receipt from the pub, according to the report.
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"Mr. Cadonau said he wanted the receipt because it would show how much alcohol the mayor consumed that evening. I asked him multiple times if he wanted to talk about the incident, share his video footage, or provide his side of the story but he respectfully declined to say anything more," Officer Matt Miller wrote.
Fox News' Louis Casiano contributed to this report, as well as The Associated Press.
