A New York City police officer was captured on video punching a woman in the face and throwing her to the ground while officers were attempting to arrest a man in correlation with an attempted murder.
The incident occurred shortly before 5 p.m. on Tuesday, when police arrested Elvin James, 22.
“Multiple individuals” at the scene “interfered by physically assaulting numerous officers” during the arrest, according to the New York Police Department. According to police, one officer suffered a minor head injury.
A video of a bystander has gone viral on the internet. On Thursday, Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell released a brief clip of the tussle recorded on body camera video.
Numerous officers and bystanders can be seen in the video at the scene in front of a residence.
A young woman approaches an officer and appears to push his shoulder. The officer responds instantly and appears to strike her in the face with a loud blow, resulting in her falling on her back and pummel into the sidewalk.
Folks in the background can be heard yelling for the hit.“Why would you do that? That’s a little girl.”
The video shows her being lifted by two policemen and placed in cuffs.
Tamani Crum, 19, of the Bronx, was charged with assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, and obstructing governmental administration, according to police.
The incident and the officer who used force, according to Sewell, are under “ongoing review” by the Internal Affairs Bureau’s Force Group.
Sewell stated that Crum was a friend of James’. After the woman “struck” one of the officers, “the officer fended off that interference and struck the woman with an open hand,” she claimed.
Crum regained consciousness and was taken to a hospital at her request, according to Sewell.
