The University of Pittsburgh police sergeant said Brian DiPippa ruined her life.
DiPippa, 38, was protesting at a university event in Oakland hosted by the Pitt College Republicans on April 18, 2023, when, investigators said, he threw a homemade explosive into a line of officers providing security there.
The officer, identified in court as T.H., saw the object headed toward her face and batted it down.
Then it exploded.
“The explosion caused me to fall back,” she said.
Her pants were on fire, her legs were burned, and she had hearing loss.
Later, the sergeant said, she needed back surgery — including a fusion and a cadaver disc.
“Brian DiPippa is a homegrown terrorist who had every intention of hurting someone that day,” she told a federal judge on Monday in Pittsburgh. “I will never be the same.”
DiPippa, who pleaded guilty in September, was ordered to serve five years in federal prison as part of a plea agreement.
His wife, Krystal Martinez-DiPippa, who also pleaded guilty, was ordered to serve three years probation, including 80 hours of community service.
“They were there to cause chaos and hurt police officers,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Shaun Sweeney. “They need to grow up and get a life — after they complete their sentences.
That night, anti-trans activist Michael Knowles was scheduled to speak at the O’Hara Student Center at Pitt at 7:30 p.m.
The debate, “Should transgenderism be regulated by law?” was hosted by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute and was to feature Knowles, a Daily Wire commentator, and libertarian journalist Brad Polumbo.
Protesters arrived on campus early, and the DiPippas, wearing knit caps and medical masks, got there around 6 p.m.
According to Sweeney, as the event attendees lined up on a sidewalk outside, Brian DiPippa rolled a homemade smoke device in a glass jar near the line, causing them to disperse.
Thirteen minutes later, he rolled another device in that direction.
Officers brandished their batons to back the protesters up, and about 7:30 p.m., two dozen protesters moved to the back of the student center, with about 12 Pitt officers following them there.
Investigators said Krystal DiPippa, wearing a long winter coat, served as a barrier as her husband ignited a large firework and then threw it into the group of officers.
The incident was captured on surveillance cameras at the student center, as well as a Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus.
The footage also showed the DiPippas riding away on a motorcycle, no longer wearing their masks.
They were charged a couple months later in federal court with conspiracy and obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder.
Brian DiPippa was also charged with use of explosive to commit a federal felony. He has remained in custody since his arrest.
The couple pleaded guilty in September before U.S. District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. The agreement called for probation for Martinez-DiPippa, and five years in prison for Brian DiPippa.
They must also pay nearly $50,000 in restitution to the injured officer, as well as $1,405 in restitution to the Pitt police for damage to uniforms and equipment.
T.H. told the court on Monday that after she was injured, she was unable to drive, sleep or eat. She became bedridden for as much as 20 hours a day to cope with the pain.
She had back surgery in November 2023 and has seen improvement.
“I will never be as good as I was before this act,” she said.
She cannot ride a bike or kayak, and she still hasn’t returned to full duty.
The sergeant was only compensated at 66% of her pay while she was off and estimates she’d lost nearly $50,000 in wages.
She called it a “callous, cowardly act.”
“I will never forget the damage Brian DiPippa did to me,” she said. “But I have forgiven him and hope he will grow to be a better person.”
In making argument to the court, Sweeney told the judge that when Brian DiPippa, who works in IT, was arrested he had clip art on his phone with the words “Officer Down.” The image included confetti and balloons.
“This is who Brian DiPippa is, ” he said.
But defense attorney Michael DeRiso said his client is more than the “politically treasonous bastard” painted by the prosecution.
“This man loves his wife,” and has rallied support from across the country.
According to court documents, DiPippa has been a vegan for 24 years and lives a Buddhist lifestyle.
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A woman with whom he worked said he is generous and a man of high integrity who works tirelessly.
DiPippa, who attended Keystone Oaks High School, later moved to California, according to court documents, where he served on two nonprofit boards.
He and Martinez-DiPippa returned to the Pittsburgh area to be near his family.
Since his incarceration at Butler County Prison, he has worked in the kitchen and as a block cleaner. He has taken every class available and earned housing on the “honor block.”
DiPippa also organized men’s emotional support groups and has worked as a mediator to resolve conflicts in the jail. He has also held monthly poetry readings and helped work with others to better understand the law.
Defense attorney Michael Ovens, who represents Martinez-DiPippa, who works at a local shelter, submitted several letters of support on her behalf.
According to one , Martinez-DiPippa is thoughtful and compassionate and goes to great lengths to protect the privacy and comfort of their residents.
In her work, she helps organize donation drives, cook meals and keep the facility clean.
Her supervisor said she is one of the hardest-working people he knows and that she is a favorite among colleagues and clients.
Another letter said that Martinez-DiPippa has always worked to help the disadvantaged.
Neither of the defendants spoke when given the chance.
“I think it’s remarkable the victim forgives them, but they offer no remorse,” Sweeney, the prosecutor, said.
The judge said the couple, with no criminal history, seem to be good people “trying to do the right thing most of the time.”
“A line was crossed here, it’s clear to me,” Ranjan said. “I sense some regret.
“Sometimes people matter more than principle.”