Man Arrested at CAAs Sundance Party Following Racially-Charged Assault of Florida Congressman
A man was arrested inside Park City’s High West Saloon after he allegedly assaulted Florida Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost and a female guest during aCAAparty amid the Sundance Film Festival. Park City Police community outreach lieutenant Danielle Snelson confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that officers responded to High West Saloon after midnight, responding to a…
A man was arrested inside Park City’s High West Saloon after he allegedly assaulted Florida Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost and a female guest during aCAAparty amid the Sundance Film Festival.
Park City Police community outreach lieutenant Danielle Snelson confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that officers responded to High West Saloon after midnight, responding to a report of an assault. After an investigation, they arrested Christian Young and determined that he “unlawfully entered a private party after previously being turned away for not having an invitation. Once inside the saloon, Young assaulted Florida Congressman Maxwell Frost and a female who was attending the private event.”
Young was arrested and booked into Summit County Jail on charges of aggravated battery and two counts of simple assault with “each charge subject to a sentencing enhancement,” per Park City PD.
The police confirmation affirms what THR had learned about the incident. Young had presumably crashed the party — he was not on the RSVP list nor was he known to be a guest of a confirmed attendee — by sneaking in through an alternate entrance, per a source. At the time, CAA was in the midst of hosting its annual festival party at the popular Park City hotspot to kick off Sundance’s first weekend and celebrate independent film and the agency’s talent.
Around midnight, Young went into the restroom where he allegedly began causing a disturbance in a racially-charged scene that shocked other men using the facilities when Young allegedly stated how proud he was to be “white.” The tense moment continued as Young then exited the restroom and allegedly punched a person of color, later revealed to be Frost. Security is said to have intervened quickly to detain the man until Park City Police arrived.
A view of the High West Saloon in Park City, Utah.
Owen Hoffmann/Getty Images for British Film Commission
Hours after The Hollywood Reporter broke the story, Frost took to X to state that he was the man who was assaulted. “Last night, I was assaulted by a man at Sundance Festival who told me that Trump was going to deport me before he punched me in the face. He was heard screaming racist remarks as he drunkenly ran off. The individual was arrested and I am okay,” posted Frost, who represents central Florida and Orlando in District 10. “Thank you to the venue security and Park City PD for assistance on this incident.”
The identity of the female guest is not known at this time. Frost, who identifies as Afro-Latino, is an activist and justice-minded organizer who ran on a campaign to remain “laser-focused on working to deliver change and results on issues of housing affordability, healthcare, abortion rights, LGBTQ+ rights, voting rights, transportation, justice reform, climate change and more.”
Reached Saturday morning, Park City Police confirmed to THR that a man was arrested at High West Saloon following an incident. They would not comment on any charges he is facing or his identity. A representative from the Summit County Sheriff’s Office also declined to comment on the charges but confirmed that a man is still behind bars as of Saturday afternoon.
The festival released a statement following the incident, writing, ”We strongly condemn last night’s assault and abhor any form of violence, harassment, and hate speech. While the incident occurred at a non-Festival-affiliated event, such behavior is intolerable and against our values of upholding a welcoming and inspiring environment for all our attendees.”
The statement continued: “The safety and security of our festival goers remains our chief concern, and our thoughts are with Congressman Frost and his continued well-being. We encourage anyone with additional information on this matter to contact the Park City Police Department.”
Park City Police have a strong presence around the city, especially on Main Street and nearby locations, including High West, which is located on a prominent corner of Park Avenue. The establishment has many floors, private rooms and close corridors, and it is understood that the alleged assault was an isolated and discreet incident that did not disrupt the festivities. Because CAA bought out the restaurant, it’s likely that many guests had no knowledge that police were on the scene. The agency’s events are long known to be tightly controlled with strict invite lists.
THR also reached out to High West for comment but an employee declined to offer details and said it is policy to not comment on private events. Once the news began to circulate online, Frost weighed in again Saturday evening, responding to THR’s X post, “I am okay. Thank you for all the well wishes. We are in scary times. Please stay safe and do not let these people silence you. Onwards.”
Late Saturday, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries responded to Frost’s X post to state, “I am horrified by the attack on Congressman Maxwell Frost. Grateful that he is okay, but appalled that this terrifying assault took place. The perpetrator must be aggressively prosecuted. Hate and political violence has no place in our country, and the entire House Democratic Caucus family stands with Maxwell.” According to the U.S. government, assault of a congress person can be a federal offense.
The Sundance Film Festival runs through Feb. 1. It’s a milestone year for the festival as it marks the final Sundance in Park City, Utah before it moves to a new home in Boulder, Colorado.
Jan. 24, 4:57 p.m. Updated to reflect Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost’s statement confirming he is the alleged victim.
Jan. 24, 9:45 p.m. Updated with the statement from the Sundance Film Festival.
