Montgomery County police officers shown in a video posted to Twitter shoving a knee into the face of a handcuffed man already in custody and allegedly using racial slurs may face charges for their conduct during an arrest at a McDonald’s restaurant.
The exact date of the brutal arrest is not clear, but video of the profanity-laced incident began circulating on social media July 4.
On Twitter, users posted in disgust about the video being difficult to watch, which we warn: it is.
In another July 4 Tweet, a reporter requested to use the video for his news story.
The department say it is aware of the video, which shows an officer from the Montgomery County Department of Police using what most agree excessive force during the arrest seen below.
WARNING: video contains profanity.
An investigation into the incident is underway. However, the officers seen in the video have not yet been identified.
Police are asking witnesses and anyone involved in the case to dial investigators at 240-773-6000, according to Patch.
“It’s hard to imagine what circumstances would prompt the officer to use that level of force with a suspect who is already on the ground and restrained,” Councilman Will Jawando said on Twitter.
Acting Police Chief Marcus Jones requested the State’s Attorney investigate whether or not criminal charges against the officers are appropriate.
“There may be criminal charges out of this,” department spokesperson Captain Thomas Jordan told Montgomery City Media.
“Our preliminary review does not seem to support the officer using the N-word,” Jordan added.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich posted on Twitter ensuring that all resident of Montgomery County are treated respectfully by the police department.
“I want to ensure that all residents of this county are treated respectfully and fairly by our police force,” he tweeted.
The disturbing video shows a Montgomery County police officer slamming his knee into the back of an already handcuffed young man’s head onto a concrete sidewalk.
In the recording, the officer uses the N-word and F-bomb profusely during the arrest.
On Twitter, police said the arrest happened in Aspen Hill and officers have been identified but not named.
“The Montgomery County Department of Police takes any complaints or evidence of excessive force seriously. An investigation into this matter has been opened and will be investigated thoroughly. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available,” the department Tweeted after the video surfaced.
Montgomery County Council President Nancy Navarro and Vice President Sidney Katz issued the following statement after viewing cell phone videos from community members showing the amount of force used during the arrest.
“We are outraged and deeply saddened to watch the videos that show a young man being apprehended by Montgomery County Police officers using what appears to be excessive force. We appreciate that Acting Police Chief Marcus Jones has promptly initiated a thorough investigation into this arrest,” the statement said. “The council is committed to making sure that all our residents feel safe when interacting with police officers. We have asked that Chief Jones appear before the Montgomery County Council as soon as possible in July to brief us on this incident and share with us his strategies for community-police relations, including de-escalation training strategies, to make our county a safe place for all our residents.
So far, although an investigation is ongoing, no charges have been filed.