The disturbing cellphone footage was filmed by the boy's cousin Ariel Collins and shared on Facebook, forcing Athens-Clarke County Police to defend the actions of the officers claiming the little boy was 'attacking' an officer.
One officer can be heard yelling "Stop resisting! Stop resisting!" and seen pushing his knee into the child's back while the scared boy repeatedly apologises.
"I'm sorry," the child says, adding a "yes, sir." The child's family plead with the officers to let the boy go.
"How you gonna do a child like that?!"
"Get off his back!"According to reports, officers handcuffed the boy's dad and were trying to take him into custody on charges of aggravated assault and false imprisonment when the boy became unsettled.
The statement read:
"Once in custody, the suspect’s 10-year-old child became extremely emotionally distraught."
"On more than one occasion, the other adults on scene attempted to restrain the child without success. As an officer was walking the suspect to his patrol car, the child attempted to block his path and again had to be removed and restrained by the adult family members."
"As the suspect was being placed in the back of the patrol car, the video clearly shows the child run pass family members and again ran towards our officer and lunged at one of the officers."
"Our officer caught the child in mid-air and the momentum of the child launching himself caused the both of them to land on the patrol car."
"The child continued to be emotionally distraught, and continued with the outburst, at which time our officer placed him on the ground."
"While on the ground, the officer continued to attempt to de-escalate the situation, assuring the child that he was not under arrest and that he would let him up if he would remain calm."But the footage has attracted wide-spread fury on social media.
One person tweeted:
"Who are these completely out of line racist scum?! @accpolice?!"
"They need to face criminal assault charges and be immediately discharged!"
"Lawyers have been contacted and the family is advised to sue the pants off of your Athens-Clarke County PD!"
"Hate crimes are ugly! Shame!"On Facebook Ruby Luna wrote:
"It takes two police officers to hold down a calm child? (For no reason). This is disgusting. This is racism. This is unacceptable."Athens-Clarke County Police Department posted body-cam footage of the incident on their Facebook page
In it the 10-year-old boy is clearly distressed and keen t defend his father, who is stood in handcuffs, and also appears visibly upset.
When his dad is put into the car he screams "wait!"
According to officers the child then "pushed" an officer into the cop car and began "kicking" it. The due then restrain him on the ground.
After the child apologises he is let up on his feet.
Commenting on the police video Anna Marie Bennett wrote:
"I do not see a justification for the amount of force used."
"I see the kid jump, there is a slight jolt to the camera - then you see the kid being held against the car - then you see him being lifted by his arms behind his back and bodyslammed face first into the ground."
"This is a child. I don't see how all of these people are justifying treating a child like that when there is so much training available for officers to learn legitimate de-escalation techniques when dealing with children."
"I am sad for our community."Athens-Clarke Police replied:
"Anna, the 'jolt' pushed the officer and the child into the car."
"The child then began kicking and walking up the side of the patrol car to get away from the officer, that is when the officer placed him on the ground."According to police, an investigation will now take place.
They said:
"Chief Freeman has ordered an internal affairs investigation and also has ordered the release of the officer’s body cam footage. The Athens-Clarke County attorney is reviewing the video footage due to a juvenile involvement, and the video will be released once his office has completed their review."Both officers are reportedly still working and haven't been placed on administrative leave. The men are yet to be identified.
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