CHARLOTTE, N. C. ( AP )- Despite the department’s claim that the officer was “intentional” about where he hit the woman to coax her into complying, the police chief acknowledged on Wednesday that” the outrage” applies to the video that is circulating on social media and depicts a Black woman being repeatedly struck during an arrest while being restrained by several other officers.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police chief Johnny Jennings claimed that when police tried to apprehend the man and woman who were smoking weed at the bus stop on Monday, the girl intervened, and an officer attempted to stop him. A struggle then broke out.
According to Lt. Kevin Pietrus, the girl repeatedly struck an agent. According to Pietrus, the girl was repeatedly struck by an agent who served as backup during the battle to persuade her to help police to take her into prison, which is consistent with his training.
In an effort to get the girl subject to comply, the officer struck her seven times with hip strikes and ten closed fist strikes to the peroneal nerve in the thigh, according to a statement from the police on Tuesday. ” The official deliberated about the location of the attacks.”
A fifth officer frequently strikes the woman with a closed fist, and four officers are seen kneeling and holding her down in one online bystander video. Observers yell at the soldiers to cease as it is happening. After a short while, the officers get to their feet and lead the person, who has her arms behind her again, to the squadSUV.
” I understand it. I can see the indignation. According to Jennings at the media conference, “police are trying to conquer” when you watch a video in which an officer punches the victim.” I understand the emotions that come with that.”
Jennings claimed that during his 32 years of police, he has encountered comparable natural struggles.
I can assure you that I have never participated in using power in a way that was attractive or well-liked by the general public. These are therefore challenging circumstances. And all I ask is that we let this internal research continue.
According to Jennings, who speculated that different agencies may finally carry out their own investigations, the department’s inner affairs bureau is looking into the matter. Vincent Pistone, the agent, has been temporarily transferred to investigations from the guard division, according to Jennings. The office does not make information about officials ‘ races public, according to a department spokesperson.
Police claim that the lady, who was identified as a 24 year old Black female from Charlotte in court records, assaulted an agent. The start of the interaction between the police and the people they detained is not depicted in the video that depicts the official striking the lady or in two different videos that were captured from a different angle. Lauren Newton, the victim’s lawyer, left a phone message requesting comment but did not answer it right away.
Jennings observed on Wednesday that the officer’s body cameras, which he claims was struck by the girl, was damaged during the altercation.
The key stated that although he believes the public will be able to view the bodycam footage, it might take a few months because North Carolina law mandates that like video be made public. He claimed that his office has now asked the court to approve the release.
According to authorities, as officials took the man into custody, they discovered a loaded gun in his case. Both the woman and the man were accused of assaulting a federal official and of carrying concealed weapons. Both were even accused of marijuana possession and resisting police officials.
The Bojangles cafe network confirmed that the man and woman are employed there, close to the arrest field. However, it claimed that when they were approached by police, they had already finished their transitions and were off the home, according to media outlets.
According to Vice President of Communications Stacey McCray,” We were shocked and saddened by the picture of an affair between Charlotte- Burg Police and a Bojangles employee.” ” We intend to fully engage with any investigation while we wait to learn more about the specifics of what caused the event.”
At the press conference, Jennings admitted that the “optics are awful.”
He said,” It should n’t have happened.” However, whose duty is at stake, am I correct?
The captain questioned whether the lady may have interfered with the boy’s arrest and struck the officers, as well as whether or not it was appropriate for the police to have started arrests for marijuana use “even though we can.”
Nothing of that ought to have occurred, he declared.
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Schoenbaum reported from Raleigh, North Carolina, and Brumfield from Silver Spring, Maryland.