PITTSBURGH — A man has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of injuring a police officer with a homemade explosive during a protest regarding transgender rights at the University of Pittsburgh in 2023.

The convicted individual, Brian DiPippa, 37, accepted the sentence on Monday as part of a plea deal. As a condition of this agreement, his wife, Krystal Martinez-DiPippa, 42, will serve three years on probation.

The couple was involved in a protest on April 18, 2023, against a panel organized by the Pitt College Republicans featuring speakers critical of transgender rights, including Daily Wire personality Michael Knowles.

According to federal attorneys, DiPippa was responsible for igniting and throwing two homemade smoke bombs towards individuals waiting for the event. He later hurled one bomb at law enforcement officers who were attempting to prevent protesters from entering the venue. During the chaotic scene, a campus police sergeant testified that she was knocked over by the explosion while attempting to deflect the device. She reported suffering burns, hearing loss, and back injuries that necessitated surgical intervention.

DiPippa pleaded guilty to conspiracy and obstructing law enforcement, while his wife entered a guilty plea for the same charge.

His defense attorney, Michael DeRiso, asserted on Tuesday that DiPippa never intended to harm anyone and described him as an individual who made poor choices that day. Prosecutors, however, indicated that their intentions were focused on creating disorder.

The plea agreement stipulates that the couple is also responsible for paying close to $50,000 in restitution, primarily to cover the medical expenses of the injured sergeant, in addition to fulfilling requirements for community service.