Hurst Officer Outburst Caught On Video Now Being Investigated
Updated 11/23 10:13 p.m: The video, which has now gone viral, was shot by 17 year –old Jordan Rojas.
Rojas said Rodriguez was told he was going to jail for an outstanding warrant, when Rodriguez began to call his mother.
"The officer asked him to get off the phone and he continued to call his mom because he was already on it and then that's when the officer tackled him," Rojas said. "That's when I started recording."
Rojas is heard in the video telling his friend to calm down.
By then, a second officer had arrived and appeared to have kneed Rodriguez while he was subdued.
"I saw him dive on him and land his knee on the back of his neck and on the video you see Andrew's head bop against the floor," Rojas said. "It kind of shocked me."
Hurst Police Chief Steve Moore confirmed to CBS 11 News, the cop in question is Officer Disraeli Arnold, who has been with the department for four and a half years.
HURST (CBSDFW.COM)- A North Texas mother is outraged after she said a Hurst police officer used excessive force while he was arresting her 17-year-old son.
Andrew Rodriguez, 17, was questioned along with two others while they were at Bellaire Park. Police said the three looked suspicious.
The responding officer got the names of the three teenagers and discovered one of them had open warrants.
Rodriguez's mother, Kelly Pope, told CBS 11 News the warrant was from a ticket her son had received four years ago for trespassing on school property after hours.
Rodriguez started to walk away and ignore the officer, according to Police Chief Steve Moore, and that's when the responding officer attempted to take Rodriguez into custody.
Rodriguez and the officer struggled and the officer called for backup, according to Moore, with the call being resisting arrest.
Rodriguez's friend began recording video on his phone. The officer is seen subduing Rodriguez, who is arguing with the officer, saying he can't breath.
The officer tells him to stop resisting.
The officer can be heard saying, "Put your hand behind your back!"
Rodriguez says, "Let me put my shirt down."
The officer says, "That's fine."
Seconds later, a second officer runs in as backup.
He is seen sprinting into the shot, then he hits Rodriguez with his knee and begins yelling, "Move and die! Move and (expletive) die! (Expletive) move again!"
Officer: "Sit down and the shut the (expletive) up! Don't say nothing else!"
Rodriguez: "There wasn't nothing necessary for you to be elbowing me in the back of my head!"
The officer seen holding down Rodriguez with his knee.
Officer: "Move so I can kick your (expletive!) Move so I can (expletive) you up! Shut up! Move! Stupid (expletive.) When the police are talking to you, you sit down and down up! This ain't no game!"
Rodriguez: "This ain't no game, I know."
Finally, the officer lift Rodriguez up to his feet. He is arrested for resisting arrest.
Rodriguez: "You came over here and kneed me in the face!"
Officer: "I sure did! You got it tape? Arnold 654!"
Rodriguez's mother still cries every time she see's the video.
"Who is the guy? Why is he doing this? You don't talk to a kid like that," Pope said.
Hurst Police released a statement regarding the incident.
"This is not behavior that the City of Hurst promotes or condones in any way. We strive to build a stronger, safer community through our work around the city and will continue to do so through appropriate action. The incident will be investigated internally."
Pope says she plans to file a complaint with the Hurst Police Department.
"He needs to be reprimanded. He needs to be fired," she said. "I'm sure this ain't the first time this has happened."
Hurst Police Chief Steve Moore told CBS 11 News their investigation will begin Monday.
