McKinney Pool Party Investigation Continues
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MCKINNEY (CBSDFW.COM) - Police in McKinney continue to investigate one of their own officers after video was released on YouTube showing the cop's response to a rowdy pool party. Some groups are upset about what happened at the scene, accusing the officer of excessive force and racism.
CBS 11 News was the first to show the online video to the McKinney Police Department, and the officer has been placed on administrative leave. Sources have identified him as Cpl. Eric Casebolt.
Police were called to the scene at Craig Ranch on Friday night because of a disturbance during the pool party. However, the seven-minute video shows a portion of what happened next. Casebolt is seen pushing a 14-year-old girl face-first to the ground and even pulling out his gun, along with using harsh and aggressive language.
The girl could be heard screaming on the video and saying, "I want to call my mom."
Chief Greg Conley said that 12 officers responded to the scene. "Officers were confronted by a large group of people," he said Sunday. "Private security and homeowners were pointing out juveniles who were creating the disturbance, fighting and refusing to leave."
The juveniles reportedly did not live in the area and did not have permission to use the pool.
Aryana Rhodes was at the scene and tried to tell the officer that the teenagers did nothing wrong. "She seen that he was arresting people for no reason, so she stated that this wasn't right," Rhodes recalled. "So, he grabbed her."
The teenager was detained, but later released with no charges. One man was arrested for interferring with the duties of an officer and evading arrest. There were no reports of injuries.
Some witnesses said that the officer acted inappropriately when dealing with teenagers. However, other neighbors said that, given the situation, they felt that the officer did was was necessary.
According to his LinkedIn profile, which has since been removed, Casebolt has been with the department since August 2005 and was named 'Officer of the Year' in 2008. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1993 through 2003 and also served as a police officer in Oklahoma City.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas is calling for action. They want the McKinney Police Department to release the entire incident report and the 911 call. The group said, "While we don't know all the facts about the party, the crowd or whether a fight broke out, what we do know is that the police response, as seen in the video, appears to be a textbook case of overuse of force. A well-trained police department would have responded more cautiously, with less hostility."
McKinney parent LaShadion Anthony stated that Casebolt appeared to only target African American teenagers. "These are children," Anthony said. "They got to be able to handle things in a better manner than this."
Mothers Against Police Brutality is asking that Casebolt be fired. "McKinney has a history of discrimination against and conflict with African Americans," they said.
Mayor Brian Loughmiller is also raising questions about the police officer's actions. "Having seen the YouTube video, I am disturbed and concerned by the incident and actions depicted in the video," he stated.
The Next Generation Action Network will hold a news conference on Monday afternoon, where parents and teens from the pool party are expected to address the media. There is also a protest march against police brutality planned for 6:30 p.m. on Monday at Comstock Elementary School in McKinney.