Viral Video Shows Sacramento Deputy Kicking A Suspect In The Back Who Stands In Complete Compliance
A new viral video has been watched by some 8 million people and shows a Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputy using his knee to kick a Black man in the back during an arrest while the suspect is seemingly standing in complete compliance. Although the incident occured in March 2020, it was recently shared by by NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe on Twitter. Doing so has brought about a fresh wave of criticism about police brutality and the officer is now facing national scrutiny.
The clip, reposted by CBS Sacramento shows a man being detained by police with his hands up, not resisting arrest. While his back is turned, a Sheriff’s deputy comes running at him and knees him in the back, knocking the man off balance. Once the man turns around to see what happens, he gets tackled by another officer.
Watch the shocking video below:
Sharpe, who tweeted the video on Friday, called out the deputy for the excessive use of force saying ironically, “I thought all you had to do was comply and you wouldn’t be shot or brutalized by police,” he wrote.
To make things even worse, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office revealed that the situation was the result of a case of mistaken identity. According to CBS Sacramento, the man in the video matched the description of a suspect who was wanted on a felony arrest warrant. After conducting surveillance and attempting to arrest him, Sgt. Tess Deterding, the spokesperson, claimed to the news station that the man wouldn’t follow orders to get on the ground. The man was ultimately charged with resisting arrest.
“Ultimately, what you see on the video is a deputy kicking the male in the back in an effort to get him to the ground,” said Deterding. “This is not a tactic taught to our deputies, nor is it an appropriate use of force under the circumstances.” The spokesperson also revealed that an internal investigation into the incident determined that excessive force had been used by the officer and he had been disciplined although his name has not been released.
The situation shown in the video hits home for many during a time where police brutality has become more visible than ever. On Aug. 23, Jacob Blake, an unarmed father, is the latest person to be shot by law enforcement. He was shot seven times in the back by police officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin after they believed he too resisted arrest. The 29-year-old’s family revealed that he is now paralyzed from the waist down.
