One NYPD The police officer was suspended without pay after viral video showed him repeatedly punching a 14-year-old Black girl in the head during an after-school fight on Staten Island.
On Wednesday, the Mayor of New York City Eric Adams said he was “not satisfied with what I saw on the video”, which went viral on social media, according to New York Post Office.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams Says He’s “Not Happy With What I See On The Video”
Footage shows the unnamed white police officer repeatedly punching the girl as he and another officer tried to stop an altercation at Edwin Markham High School around 2:45 p.m. Tuesday.
According to the NYPD, the two officers were there at a nearby footstool when they intervened after the altercation broke out.
The video shows the currently suspended officer punching the girl multiple times as other students try to help her and pull the teen away.
On Staten Island, the NYPD responded to reports of a fight on Port Richmond Avenue near 51st Middle School. The officer responded by hitting a teenage girl because an officer was currently assaulted. suspended from work. AMERIKKKA‼️ pic.twitter.com/GNKWQroixF
– IG: RahiemShabazz (@rahiemshabazz) January 4, 2023
“There was a fight between two girls. We tried to intervene and it looks like one of the girls tried to stop us from interfering,” an NYPD spokesman said. “They tried to handcuff one of the girls. And someone is pulling them.”
Two girls, aged 12 and 14, were arrested at the scene, but were eventually released without charge as the investigation into the officer’s conduct continued.
Officer has been suspended without pay for up to 30 days as NYPD investigates, sources say
Meanwhile, the NYPD’s Office of Internal Affairs was investigating and the officer was suspended from work without pay for up to 30 days, police sources told the Post.
A ministry source told the outlet that the 14-year-old girl hit the policeman first, but acknowledged the officer’s extreme reaction was inevitable, calling the scene “total mayhem”.
“If you look at the body-worn camera, it’s a complete mess,” the source said. “I guess the officer overreacted. She hit him first and then he responded by hitting her several times. That’s the problem.”
Last night, the NYPD learned of an incident that occurred on Staten Island where officers responded to a fight between a group of young men. The actions of those officers are being investigated by the Department of Home Affairs. At this point, one officer was suspended. pic.twitter.com/hwIuW5p1rj
– NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) January 4, 2023
Police charity vice president urges viewers not to rush to judgement
Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch, a strong supporter of law enforcement in the city, urged viewers not to rush to judge “based on a few seconds of video”.
“What is clear at this point is that these officers are trying to break up a violent melee when they themselves are assaulted,” Lynch said. “What is needed now is a thorough investigation into the whole situation, not just what was posted online.”
An investigation into the incident is still ongoing, sources told the outlet.
