A police officer in Texas is under investigation after cell phone footage of a teen suspect being pummeled and berated surfaced on the Internet.
The footage appears to show Disraeli Arnold, a four-year veteran of the Hurst Police Department, use his knee to attack 17-year-old Andrew Rodriguez as he struggles on the ground, The Dallas Morning News reports.
Rodriguez, detained on an outstanding trespassing warrant, initially resisted arrest because he wanted to call his mother before being removed, witness Jordan Rojas told KDFW.
Rojas, a friend of Rodriguez, captured the scene on his cell phone camera.
"I was just shocked," Rojas told the station. "I don't know, it was crazy."
The officer can be heard yelling at Rodriguez, "Move and die! Move so I can kick your [expletive]."
The Hurst Police Department released a statement on Saturday regarding the incident:
REGARDING THE VIDEO - Obviously, this is not behavior that the City of Hurst and the Hurst Police Department promotes or condones in any way. We strive to build a stronger, safer community through our work around the city and will continue to do so through appropriate action. The incident is being investigated internally.
Rodriguez's mother, Kelly Pope, said she planned to file a complaint with the department.
“Who is the guy? Why is he doing this? You don’t talk to a kid like that,” Pope told CBS DFW.
At the end of the video, officer Arnold approaches the camera and identifies himself as "Arnold 654."
Rodriguez declined to comment on the incident, NBC DFW reports.
Related
Before You Go
