The cop also slammed the man’s head to the ground.
A police officer in Warren, Detroit, was charged with assault after video showed him punching a young man in the face the slamming his head to the ground. According to Fox News, The man was being booked into the jail when the incident took place on June 13. The cop got angry after words were exchanged, though there is no audio from the footage and the officer did not have his body camera on, the outlet further said. The assault took place in the city jail’s fingerprinting area.
A booking officer was caught on video punching a 19-yo Detroit man at the Warren (MI) Police Department jail. The officer has since been charged with assault. EVERYONE deserves humanity, this behavior from those sworn to protect and serve is unacceptable!
🎥: Detroit Free Press pic.twitter.com/OZgt4GRDNj
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) June 22, 2023
Detroit Free Press identified the police officer as 48-year-old Matthew James Rodriguez, who has been with the department for more than 14 years.
He was arraigned on assault, a 93-day misdemeanor, and public officer-willful neglect of duty, a one-year misdemeanor, according to authorities and court records.
Mr Rodriguez was released on a $5,000 personal bond and will appear before court on July 13, the Detroit Free Press report further said.
“This is not what we do. This is not who we are,” Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer said.
He added that other officers immediately intervened and also reported the incident to the superiors.
According to the police, the man who was beaten is 19-year-old and was being booked on suspected felony carjacking and weapons charges when the incident occurred.
The cops sent him to the hospital to be evaluated. The man has not been named, but Mr Dwyer said that “based on the investigation, we’re not charging the victim”.
Police proactively launched an internal investigation and placed Rodriguez on leave less than two hours after supervisors were informed, said Me Dwyer.