Witness Describes FWPD 'Use Of Force' Incident
Photo Of Crime Scene Tape (John Li/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Fort Worth Police continue to look into whether improper or unnecessary force was used early Monday morning outside a night club.
Cell phone video given to CBS 11 News shows police allegedly using excessive force to subdue a suspect.
The video was shot by a 37-year-old Dallas man at Asian Nights club in the 2900 Block of Beach Street.
"I see it with my own eyes," the witness said. "It got out of control I thought the police had him contained he wasn't resisting he wasn't fighting back."
The witness doesn't want to be identified because he's worried about police retaliation.
He said he saw the suspect Peter Manisavanh arguing with another man and when police showed up Manisavanh ran to his car.
"He got inside the driver's seat and they got him right away right there they got him pulled him out put him on the ground," the witness said. "You can hear the baton hitting his bone that's the noise you can hear he was yelling."
The owner of Asian Nights made the 911 call saying he had just kicked a man out the night club for flashing a weapon inside.
The police department says officers who arrived believed Manisavanh was armed.
Police said at first he dragged one of the officers with his car and then he was fighting back.
"I just wanted them to stop," Manisavanh said from jail Tuesday night. "I'm thinking what did I do wrong for them to pound on me what did I do."
Manisavanh said he had a pellet gun, but the bouncer had already taken it from him before police arrived.
Fort Worth Police said they've talked to another witness who says he saw Manisavanh drag one of the officers with his car and then physically fight with them. Manisavanh is out of jail.
The department says the officers involved will stay on the job until the investigation is complete. CBS 11 News looked at the officers personnel records and did not find any past disciplinary actions.
