California Police Investigate Officer Caught on Video Punching Young Suspect in the Face During Arrest
A police officer caught on video punching a trespassing suspect during an arrest in Hemet has prompted an investigation from California police.
According to ABC7, a witness said the altercation between the police officer and the trespassing suspect happened at a parking lot of a supermarket near Stetson Avenue and State Street on Monday.
California Police Officer Punches Trespassing Suspect
The Associated Press reported that the footage circulating on social media started with the Hemet police officer face-to-face with the young man wearing a backpack.
The witness said 19-year-old Edmund Franklin was selling candy and chocolate outside a grocery store when the police officer approached him.
In a press release provided to Eyewitness News on Tuesday, the Hemet Police Department said that police officers first approached Franklin at around 3:30 p.m. after he was asked to leave by personnel of a nearby business for "becoming aggressive" with them. The young man was also said to be panhandling in the area.
Police said Edmund Franklin was then told to leave, and if he returned, he would be arrested for trespassing. Around 40 minutes later, police were called again and were told that the young man had returned to the area and refused to leave.
In its press release, the Hemet police said the first responding officer approached the young man and attempted to detain him for a trespass violation when a use of force happened.
California Police Investigates Officer Punching a Young Black Man
The video showed that Edmund Franklin repeatedly said to the officer that he would take his backpack off while the cop was seen grabbing him.
The police officer then punched Franklin in the face, and a scuffle ensued. As the brawl continued, the cop took the young man to the ground and subdued him for several minutes with many individuals looking on, the video confirmed.
A number of witnesses even shout angrily at the police officer to get off the young man. Multiple police officers then arrived at the scene as the witnesses became angrier over the tactics used by the police officer.
Edmund Franklin was arrested by police officers on suspicion of trespassing, resisting an officer, and attempting to disarm an officer, the Hemet police said. Franklin's bail was set at $10,000.
Meanwhile, the police department noted that officials were aware of the video circulating on social media, and they had already launched an investigation.
The police department said they were currently reviewing the incident "to include the social media posts and the officer's body worn camera video."
The department added that the incident, "like any use of force incident involving a Hemet police officer is taken seriously and will be thoroughly investigated."
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Written by: Jess Smith
WATCH: Video Shows Hemet Police Officer Punching Suspect - From Fox 11 Los Angeles