Gov. Hochul on Syracuse police encounter with 8-year-old boy: "Heart wrenching video to witness"
By
CBS New York Team
/ CBS New York
Father of Syracuse child speaks out about viral video
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Gov. Kathy Hochul commented Wednesday on a video that's now the focus of an internal review by police.
It shows an 8-year-old boy in tears being led to a police car in Syracuse on Sunday.
The man recording the video claims the child was being arrested over stealing a bag of chips.
Police said the boy was not handcuffed but was brought home, where officers spoke with his father.
"As a mother, that was a heart wrenching video to witness. A child weeping, being pulled by the police officers, put in the back of a police car, over a bag of potato chips, at least that's what the evidence says right now," Hochul said during an unrelated event in the city. "I know that the mayor is working closely with the police department to get to the bottom of everything, but also make sure we do protect our children, that they're handled in a different way when it comes to encounters with law enforcement."
Watch: Gov. Kathy Hochul comments on video of Syracuse Police detaining 8-year-old boy
Gov. Kathy Hochul comments on video of Syracuse Police detaining 8-year-old boy
Syracuse's mayor confirmed the officers know the child from prior interactions.
"You can't treat him like that because of a bag of chips, like he killed somebody. He's not a criminal," said Anthony Weah, the child's father. "They done it to my child, tomorrow they will do the same thing to another kid."
Authorities are reviewing body camera video from all three officers and a nearby surveillance camera.
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Gov. Hochul on Syracuse police encounter with 8-year-old boy: "Heart wrenching video to witness"
By CBS New York Team
/ CBS New York
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Gov. Kathy Hochul commented Wednesday on a video that's now the focus of an internal review by police.
It shows an 8-year-old boy in tears being led to a police car in Syracuse on Sunday.
The man recording the video claims the child was being arrested over stealing a bag of chips.
Police said the boy was not handcuffed but was brought home, where officers spoke with his father.
"As a mother, that was a heart wrenching video to witness. A child weeping, being pulled by the police officers, put in the back of a police car, over a bag of potato chips, at least that's what the evidence says right now," Hochul said during an unrelated event in the city. "I know that the mayor is working closely with the police department to get to the bottom of everything, but also make sure we do protect our children, that they're handled in a different way when it comes to encounters with law enforcement."
Watch: Gov. Kathy Hochul comments on video of Syracuse Police detaining 8-year-old boy
Syracuse's mayor confirmed the officers know the child from prior interactions.
"You can't treat him like that because of a bag of chips, like he killed somebody. He's not a criminal," said Anthony Weah, the child's father. "They done it to my child, tomorrow they will do the same thing to another kid."
Authorities are reviewing body camera video from all three officers and a nearby surveillance camera.
In:- Syracuse
- Kathy Hochul
The CBS New York Team is a group of experienced journalists who bring you New York web coverage on cbsnews.com.
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