The NYPD’s Internal Affairs unit is looking into an arrest over the weekend in which an officer was caught on video, apparently taking down a pregnant woman. NY1′s Michael Herzenberg filed the following report.
A cell phone video seems to show police taking down a woman.
Her attorney says she’s five months pregnant and suffered bruises to her abdomen. An officer apparently pushed another woman, a friend of the victim, to the ground.
“It’s heartbreaking,” says community activist Jason del Aguila.
Del Aguila with El Grito de Sunset Park says he met with the family.
“Just hearing them, I was getting goosebumps teary eyed with them,” he says.
Their attorney says it happened early Saturday morning—as the woman approached her 17-year-old son—who police allegedly hurt while arresting him. They both suffered minor injuries.
The attorney says the son was charged with resisting arrest and criminal possession of a weapon, while the pregnant woman was given a citation for disorderly conduct.
It happened here on 5th Avenue at 39th Street in Sunset Park. The 17-year-old does have prior arrests.
“It doesn’t matter that the person they’re arresting has committed a crime. They deserve respect and professionalism,” says Brooklyn City Councilman Carlos Menchaca.
Elected leaders say this incident is indicative of a pattern, pointing to five arrests made last week at a street fair. Video appears to show a police officer kicking a man while he’s down. That officer has been suspended.
“I believe this is systemic. The police commissioner must deal with the 72nd police precinct,” says Rep. Nydia Velasquez. “What we saw in this video of this past weekend is very disturbing. It’s overly aggressive tactics and that is wrong.”
We reached out to the police union but they weren’t aware of the situation.
Menchaca says he’s attending police roll calls tonight and tomorrow to talk about respecting citizens. He and congresswoman Velasquez say they’re trying to organize a town hall meeting with the police commissioner.
http://ift.tt/1mOOoyD
via Great Local News: New York http://ift.tt/1iZiLP1
No comments:
Post a Comment