Police Investigating Officer Seen Punching 14-Year-Old Boy On Viral Video
RANCHO CORDOVA (CBS13) — The Rancho Cordova Police Chief is speaking out after a viral video shows an officer attacking a child on the ground.
The scuffle happened Monday after authorities say the officer witnessed the 14-year-old take a tobacco product from an adult. When questioned, the sheriff's office claims the boy refused to cooperate, lied about his age, and resisted physically.
That's apparently when the physical altercation happened.
Video of the incident has gone viral. Senator Kamala Harris called it a "horrific abuse of power."
WARNING: This video of a @RanchoCordovaPD officer beating a 14-year-old is sickening, and demands immediate action.
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) April 28, 2020
How many of these videos must we see before we do something about police violence in this country? pic.twitter.com/C7oIrz0v1c
On Wednesday Rancho Cordova Poice Chief Kate Adams, who just started on Monday, said the boy has expressed remorse and now wants to meet with the officer.
"It is heartening to me that on both sides, with the young man and the officer, there is a desire to listen to each other and understand how the situation could have been different," Adams said in a video posted to YouTube Wednesday.
The chief says a meeting between the two has been set up, meanwhile, an investigation is underway, and the officer has been temporarily reassigned.
In response to the incident, Black Lives Matter Sacramento held a protest today to show support for the teen.
The founder, Tanya Faison, says that the officer's actions went too far.
"What we want, we want this officer to be fired and we want him to be charged. He assaulted a minor. If this had been you or me, we would be in jail right now," Faison said.
The organization says they don't want the officer to work for any police department.