LOVEJOY, Ga. — People are questioning an officer’s use of force after video shows him body slam a person while handcuffing them in a Walmart.
The officer is on administrative leave right now while his superiors decide if the body slam was justified, Channel 2’s Courtney Francisco reports.
A lot of people saw it Saturday, and they want to know the name of the person cuffed, what he was being investigated for and his condition.
The chief of police says there will be no release of information at this time, because it’s an open investigation.
One customer started recording the encounter on her cell phone.
“That’s hard floor, and it hurts,” a customer said after watching the footage. “We have bones; they break.”
Channel 2 blurred the person’s face because police have not confirmed what, if anything, they are charged with.
Retired Atlanta police officer and use of force instructor Orrick Curry reviewed the video.
“When an officer makes an arrest, it doesn’t always look good,” he said.
He said he wants to find out why the officer approached the customer, any prior encounters this officer may have had with him, and what was said or done during the cuffing.
“I know at this point it looks bad in some people’s eyes,” Curry said. “What you have to do is go back and say, OK, what led up to this?”
He said the officer’s superiors will evaluate the video and compare it to department policies and training.
Customers said police should answer some questions now, like who is the man on the ground and where is he now.
“You do need know if he’s OK,” one customer said.
A spokesperson for Walmart said they can’t comment right now because they do not want to impact the police investigation.
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