Video of a California police officer beating a suspect with his fists and and flashlight is now under investigation, KPIX 5reported Saturday. The cellphone video, captured Friday near a gas station in Vallejo, has sparked accusations of excessive force from multiple witnesses of the incident.
"The kid surrendered," one witness, who asked not to be named, toldKPIX 5. "The cop, on the other hand, came up right behind and he was tired too. But he immediately dove on the kid and started wailing on him." The Vallejo officer, who has not been identified, arrived on the scene after a 911 caller reported a man was acting "crazy" at the Valero gas station.
Witnesses said the first officer on the scene chased the suspect for "several minutes" until the suspect sat down in the middle of the street. At one point, the officer in the clip appears to pull his weapon on the growing crowd of witnesses.
The suspect, who has also not been identified, is facing charges of resisting arrest and being under the influence. Though police trainer Don Cameron conceded that the video is difficult to watch, he claimed that appropriate force was used. "When we're down on the ground, we want to get the person in custody as quickly as we can and we use personal weapons," he toldKPIX 5.
Howard Jordan, former Oakland police chief, expressed concern regarding the officer's use of force after the arrival of an assisting officer. "It does look bad," he said Saturday. "It does appear inappropriate." The Internal Affairs department at Vallejo is now reviewing the video. According toKNTV, the officer will "remain on leave" until an investigation is completed. KNTV's report adds that gas station employees have alleged that the suspect was "transforming his fingers into the shape of a gun" prior to the cop's arrival.
The Vallejo Police Department did not immediately respond to Complex's request for comment.
