Bryon Pierson, St. Louis PD Mugshot
Two police officers and a startup founder were transported to the hospital last Thursday following an alleged attack by EDUrain founder Bryon Pierson Jr.
Witnesses tell bizblip that Pierson showed up at the weekly meeting of the Founders Lounge, in the Cortex district of downtown St. Louis, despite organizers having banned him from the event earlier this year.
“I had a difficult time reaching 911, but the biggest thing was making sure that nobody is hurt, and that Bryon is removed from the premise,”
Austin Reinhardt, one of the even organizers told bizblip.
“Moving forward, we are implementing enhanced measures to prevent such incidents from reoccurring,” Christian Johnson, another event organizer wrote on LinkedIn, outlining plans to strengthen guest screening processes and collaborate more closely with security personnel.
From the Probable Cause Statement (redacted) officers gave the following account:
- Officers responded to calls for a disturbance and a fight at a bar within a hotel, Aloft St. Louis Cortex. There officers spoke with victim, who advised that defendant got upset that he was recording him on his phone, grabbed his phone, threw it, and then physically attacked him. The victim further advised that he retrieved his phone after defendant threw it and began running away from him. The victim added defendant was able to catch him, picked him up, threw him, choked him, and dug his fingers into his mouth. The victim sustained a minor cut to his mouth.
- However, it should it be noted that multiple other men restrained defendant and likely prevented him from doing much more serious harm.
- It should also be noted that defendant did cause injuries to the officers who arrested him, including serious physical injury, and is a former collegiate wrestler.
In the Warrant, issued on the date of the incident, the State claimed that Pierson “is a danger to the crime victim, the community or another person.”
After spending the weekend in jail, Pierson was charged with 3rd Degree Assault, a Class E Felony.
In the States request for disclosure it required Pierson to turn over “all reports or statements of experts made in connection with his case, including but not limited to results of physical or mental examination.” It also required his lawyer to disclose his intention “to rely on the defense of mental disease or defect.”
With objections from the State, the judge granted Pierson a recognizance bond – with a restriction from drinking alcohol while out on bond — and an order for another Bond hearing next Tuesday, Oct. 29th. There is a Status Hearing set for November 20 at 9 a.m. in Division 25.
Background:
Founded in Nov. 2017 in St. Louis, MO, with Pierson and co-founders Aaron Zheng and Adam Knox-Warshaw being the only three full time employees. They assembled a team of up to 15 part time contractors and interns. Prior to the TechStars infusion, Pierson says he’s raised $155,000 from a variety of sources, including FF&F. EDURain participated in, or has been helped by, the Skandalaris Center, St. Louis Regional Chamber, Impact Ventures, Balsa Foundation, ITEN, Olin School of Business, I-Corps., SLU Research, Spark! and Maryville University.
The company was accepted into the 2023 Techstars Tulsa cohort Pierson says he picked up $120,000 in the process.
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