Video Shows NYPD Officers Punching Man While Arresting Him At Flatbush Junction Target; Police Launch Investigation
A video showing police officers punching a man being arrested for trespassing, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct at the Flatbush Junction Target (1589 Flatbush Avenue) Saturday evening has prompted the NYPD to launch an investigation into the incident.
Taken by Windsor Terrace resident, and, as of the end of the week, Ditmas Park neighbor Michael Rolland, the 14-minute video was shot around 8pm Saturday night, when a group of police officers are shown holding a man down on the ground and punching him several times. As soon as the officers began punching the individual, concerned onlookers began crowding around the scene, demanding that the police stop hitting him.
“We should be paying attention to encounters with police that start out as minor and escalate into something where this level of force is used,” Rolland said in an interview last night. “I’m in favor of the public checking the police.”
Rolland said he witnessed two officers pushing the individual towards the exit a little before the arrest happened. Then, after shopping with his girlfriend, Rolland said they witnessed the police “trying to handcuff him or something, and he didn’t want to comply with that.
“Then I started recording,” Rolland said. “I have no idea what their rationale was for punching… I’ve never seen anything like this before, and I don’t think I’ve recorded a police encounter either. It seemed like something that could escalate. For the benefit of posterity and an investigation, I wanted there to be evidence of what happened.”
Following the footage of the man being punched, Rolland followed him and the officers outside, where the man was checked out at an ambulance and then taken away in a squad car.
Rolland said he has not been contacted by police about the incident, nor has he reached out to them. His girlfriend, who lives in our neighborhood, has sent the video to the NYCLU and ACLU.
“I would encourage people who have more information or videos — other people were taking videos — to come forward so we have a fuller picture of what went on here,” Rolland said. “I’m concerned about he level of response we saw.”
A spokesperson for Target, Molly Snyder, wrote in an emailed statement:
At Target, we take the safety and security of our guests, team members and property very seriously. Following concerning behavior by one of our guests, the team contacted law enforcement. Because this is a law enforcement matter, you will need to reach out to them for additional details.
When we spoke to police, they told us the matter is “under internal review.” According to DNAinfo, the suspect had refused to show his identification to the arresting officers and faces charges of trespassing, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and obstructing governmental administration.
Councilman Jumaane Williams and Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte, who represent the area where the Flatbush Target is located, said in a joint statement that:
It is without question painful to see video of another unarmed black person undergo what appears to be excessive, forceful detainment by police. At the same time, and in this charged atmosphere, we must take caution not to unnecessarily inflame while addressing very real and valid concerns on police-community relations.
According to the lawmakers, the suspect reportedly was at the Flatbush Junction Target a day earlier and “had several exchanges with employees that led to at least one feeling unsafe.”
The lawmakers continued:
The man reportedly came back the following day, and Target employees eventually called for NYPD assistance. This information was gathered after speaking with those who had first-hand knowledge of the incident and from members of the NYPD’s 70th Precinct. From what we’ve learned, it seems that NYPD initiating contact was warranted and requested. It must also be noted that while on the floor, the man’s hands appear to be underneath him and out of sight, which could reasonably cause concern to officers. We know it’s not practical to believe that every lawful arrest will be done without any force at all. Additionally, we must be careful not to treat every incident like the most egregious ones, lest we appear to weaken very legitimate concerns.
However, Williams and Bichotte also stressed that questions “should be asked around the NYPD’s use of force — particularly punches used to effect an arrest.”
In the same joint statement, the legislators said:
In fact, it was the aggressive punching that seemed to alarm the shoppers more than the arrest itself. These questions include: Was this person mentally or emotionally disturbed? Was the use of force reasonable to get the person to comply if he was not complying? Was this use of force incorporated in department training or were these actions out of frustration? Is this same force used equally across the city, irrespective of neighborhood, class or race? These are realistic questions based on a reality that has legitimately led to the charged atmosphere we are in today. Still, they must be asked responsibly with the attempt to balance actual, not perceived, problems with over policing and the real difficulty and uncertainty of each policing encounter. Today, these questions and more will be sent in a letter to Target and the Police Department and we will await a response. It’s also our hope that investigators move swiftly in dealing with this case and are transparent with their findings.
Williams and Bichotte encouraged residents to attend next week’s National Night Out, which the 70th Precinct will hold from 6:30-9:30pm on Tuesday, August 4 at the Parade Grounds.
“In light of this and other incidents — including the questions that linger and the charged climate we are in — it’s our hope that New Yorkers across the city attend this event to once again bring a loud voice to these concerns and to help build stronger community engagement/relations,” Williams and Bichotte said. “Though it’s just a small step toward fixing our damaged public safety system, it’s a good place to start.”