Police are investigating the arrest of a Baton Rouge teenager on Sunday after a video posted online shows an officer pinning the 13-year-old to the ground with his arm under the boy’s neck.
No decision has been made yet on whether the officers involved in the incident would face disciplinary action, Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome said during a press conference Monday.
Broome said that she and Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul have reviewed the police-worn body camera footage of the incident.
Officers responded to two disturbance calls on Sunday at the same location, Paul said. Officers were able to de-escalate the situation during the first call and no arrests were made, he said.
During a second call, less than an hour later, two juveniles were taken into custody. One was released to a parent and the other was booked on charges of battery of a police officer, Paul said.
In the short video posted on Twitter, an officer can be seen on the ground over the teen with his arm under the boy’s neck. The crowd can be heard saying, “He’s a boy, get off of him!” and, “You’re choking him.” Shortly after, the officer sits the teen up and puts his hands behind his back. The video clip does not show what happened before or after the incident
The city and police department have petitioned the court to allow the full body-worn camera video to be made public, since the video involves a minor, Paul said. The video was made available to the family Monday, Broome said.
Civil rights attorney Ron Haley, Jr., who represents the teen’s family, said he viewed the body camera video on Monday evening and said it shows a more complete version of the incident.
“I commend Chief Paul for being consistent when it comes to these critical incidents,” Haley told CNN. “It’s been 24 hours and the department has gotten information to the parents and attorneys and we have viewed the video.”
While the community is upset about seeing video of what could be excessive force used on a child, Haley said, it’s important to wait for the release of the body camera video.
“I am asking for patience until the footage is released. The videos of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Trayford Pellerin and countless others that have sparked this moment of change also create a heightened sense of angst and anxiety when it comes to interaction with law enforcement,” Haley said. “I’m sure (my client) didn’t wake on up Sunday believing he would be in the middle of a civil rights issue captivating the city. That is a lot of pressure on a young person.”
Haley said he is hoping for full transparency from the Baton Rouge Police Department while investigating this incident, which Broome has promised.
“We have worked tirelessly … to close this gap between our police officers and the citizens of our community,” Broome said. “We will not skirt around these issues. I will make sure this is thoroughly investigated.”
The teen was arrested and charged with battery of a police officer, according to Haley. He has been released into the custody of his parents.
The incident is under investigation to see if any policies were violated by the officer, who is not currently facing any kind of disciplinary action or leave, Paul said.
CNN has reached out to the police union for comment.
