Community Members Calling For Firing Of West Mifflin Police Officers After Altercation With 15-Year-Old Girl On School Bus
WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. (KDKA) -- West Mifflin community members are asking for the removal of two police officers after they say a video shows the officers assaulting a 15-year-old girl.
The police officers intervened on a bus on Dec. 18 that was headed from West Mifflin High School. The driver called 911 to report two girls allegedly fighting.
When the two West Mifflin Police officers arrived, an incident ensued and part of it was captured on camera.
In the short clip, the two officers were seen trying to restrain the 15-year-old girl.
One officer allegedly pulled the braids of the girl and her head yanked backward.
At that time, the other students started yelling and trying to intervene, asking the officer to leave her alone and to not pull her hair. The second officer appears to try to hold her one arm back and put her in handcuffs.
Both the officers in the video are still on the streets with the department.
"You have two grown men with a 15-year-old black girl bear hugging her, pulling her hair, and her blood is squirting on her classmates," said Fawn Walker-Montgomery, the founder of Take Action Mon Valley.
The video doesn't show the full story, according to school officials.
The district's superintendent told KDKA earlier this month that one of the juveniles "made contact with the officer's jaw/chin" prior to the start of the recorded video clip.
But activists don't believe that matters.
"There's nothing you could tell me that would excuse a 15-year-old child being assaulted like that," Walker-Montgomery said.
Roughly five people stepped to the podium on Tuesday asking for the removal of the two officers.
"We believe everyone has a right to free speech. However, everybody needs to let this run its course. And in due time, any and all facts pertaining to their concerns will be addressed," said West Mifflin Solicitor Phil DiLucente.
Activists told KDKA the city's response does not change anything, and they'll be attending the school board meeting later this week with more questions.