The man who hit Mayor Kevin Johnson with a pie at a charity dinner event said he did it as a symbolic gesture to embarrass the mayor.Johnson gave a speech Wednesday evening at the Seeds of HOPE dinner at Sacramento Charter High School before Sean Thompson came up, pulled the pie from a bag and shoved it in Johnson's face, officials said.Thompson, 32, was arrested shortly after the scuffle. During a jailhouse interview, Thompson explained why he decided to act out using a coconut cream pie.“I felt the pressure to do something that would at least symbolize and embarrass him,” Thompson said.Thompson said he doesn’t believe Johnson has done enough to help the city’s homeless. Instead, Thompson decried the mayor’s support for the downtown arena.“He comes out when the cameras are out, and he speaks with a silver tongue,” Thompson said. “He never actually does anything."Johnson's Chief of Staff Crystal Strait said the mayor defended himself against the man. Officer Bryce Heinlein said Johnson hit Thompson, and there are multiple reports that Johnson took multiple strikes on Thompson.Thompson said Johnson hit him at least twice and he required nine stitches.Johnson was not hurt in the incident and tweeted Wednesday night that he was, “doing fine.”Thompson has been charged with on a felony charge of assaulting a public official and a misdemeanor of battery on school or park property, jail records show. He was booked into the Sacramento County Jail on $100,000 bail.Stay with KCRA for updates.

The man who hit Mayor Kevin Johnson with a pie at a charity dinner event said he did it as a symbolic gesture to embarrass the mayor.

Johnson gave a speech Wednesday evening at the Seeds of HOPE dinner at Sacramento Charter High School before Sean Thompson came up, pulled the pie from a bag and shoved it in Johnson's face, officials said.


Thompson, 32, was arrested shortly after the scuffle. During a jailhouse interview, Thompson explained why he decided to act out using a coconut cream pie.





“I felt the pressure to do something that would at least symbolize and embarrass him,” Thompson said.

Thompson said he doesn’t believe Johnson has done enough to help the city’s homeless. Instead, Thompson decried the mayor’s support for the downtown arena.

“He comes out when the cameras are out, and he speaks with a silver tongue,” Thompson said. “He never actually does anything."





Johnson's Chief of Staff Crystal Strait said the mayor defended himself against the man. Officer Bryce Heinlein said Johnson hit Thompson, and there are multiple reports that Johnson took multiple strikes on Thompson.

Thompson said Johnson hit him at least twice and he required nine stitches.



Johnson was not hurt in the incident and tweeted Wednesday night that he was, “doing fine.”





Thompson has been charged with on a felony charge of assaulting a public official and a misdemeanor of battery on school or park property, jail records show. He was booked into the Sacramento County Jail on $100,000 bail.

Stay with KCRA for updates.