Footage of DC police officer repeatedly punching restrained Black man stirs outrage
Situation has been turned over to the US Attorney’s Office for potential prosecution
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Your support makes all the difference.Washington DC Metropolitan Police has come under fire after a video exploded on social media appearing to show an officer punching a Black man 12 times during an arrest. Other officers did not step in to stop him from beating the man, who has being restrained by other officers.
According to the NBC 4, the officer who punched the man has been put on administrative leave pending an internal investigation into the incident.
Washington City Paper reported that the other officers involved were put on “no contact” duty.
During the alleged encounter, other officers tried to keep a growing crowd away from the arrest. According to local broadcaster WTOP, an officer drew a gun on the crowd, telling them to back away.
The officers reportedly suspected the man had a gun, which they claim they recovered from the individual.
Officers claim they initiated the arrest after witnessing the man doing a hand-to-hand drug sale.
The DC Metropolitan Chief Robert Contee said the incident is a black eye for the department.
“I am embarrassed, disturbed, disheartened and ashamed of what I've seen,” he said during a press conference on Monday.
The video shows officers surrounding the man and grabbing his arms. It is not immediately clear why they were unable to handcuff the man. While the man is being held by police, another officer repeatedly punches the man in the face.
The officers eventually turn the man around and push him against the fence. The officer throwing the punches then moves so that he can continue punching the man in his face and head. At one point he even moves another officer aside so he can keep throwing punches.
Mr Contee said he was going to refer the police officers to the US Attorney's Office for possible prosecution resulting from the incident.
“This is not the way we train our members to get illegal firearms off the streets,” Mr Contee said.
The chief said he received the video from a resident, after which he ordered an investigation.
The suspect in the video, Kiman Johnson, 23, is facing charges of possession of an unregistered firearm, carrying a pistol without a license, unlawful possession of ammunition, and assault on an officer while armed and resisting arrest.
The incident comes on the heels of a violent weekend in DC.
There were 12 shootings over the weekend, with 17 people wounded and three people killed, including a 69-year-old man.
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