Police body camera footage from the Lansing Police Department appears to show an officer hit a 16-year-old girl being arrested.
Body camera footage from the Lansing Police Department in Michigan appears to show an officer hit a 16-year-old girl being arrested, and the cops involved in the incident are on leave.
Cops said they were in the area because they got a call about the girl and a 15-year-old boy for alleged runaway warrants, violating probation and escaping from custody.
The video taken from Officer Bailey Ueberroth’s bodycam begins with a chase. The girl can be seen darting through bushes and front yards before falling, and Ueberroth tries to handcuff her after she gets to her feet.
"Do you want to go to the ground? Put your hands behind your back. Release your fingers. I'm about to bring you to the ground. Do you want to go to the ground?” Ueberroth is heard saying in the video.
The pair then walk quietly for a little while before the video shows a struggle and as the teen’s shirt coming loose she goes to the ground.
She starts crying, screaming and struggling to get up.
Ueberroth then tells her to “get on the ground.”
The teen's shirt starts to come off as he pushes her down. She starts crying, screaming and struggling to get up.
At one point, Ueberroth can be seen pushing her head down toward the concrete, but she uses her hand to brace herself and get back up.
At that point, Officer Lindsey Howley walks up and helps restrain the teen, so she can be handcuffed.
"I didn't put my hands on her. What the f***," the teen yells.
From Howley’s bodycam, you can see Ueberroth holding her by the arm, dragging her to the squad car as she cries and asks for her mother.
Then, a struggle ensues to get her into the vehicle.
She refuses to put both legs inside, holding the door open with her foot.
As both officers struggle to get the seat belt around her, she breathes heavily and continues to yell. Ueberroth can be heard asking her why she wants to fight, saying it can all be over if she just moves her leg.
Meanwhile, bystanders can also be seen, yelling at the cops.
Howley is then seen punching the teen in the leg numerous times.
"Put your leg in,” Howley says.
“No b****, don't punch me. You're not supposed to punch me,” the teen screams.
During a press conference, Lansing Police Chief Mike Yankowski said the method the officer allegedly used was part of their training.
"During that interaction, one of our officers used a training technique, a strike to her thigh, a common peroneal is the term that we use as a distraction in order for her to remove her leg from outside the vehicle to get her inside the patrol car to get her to close the door,” Yankowski told reporters.
Eventually, Howley manages to push the door shut.
Yankowski said the girl wasn't injured, nor did she require medical attention. Yankowski also said the teen resisted being arrested and removed one of her handcuffs when Ueberroth was walking her back to the police car. "The suspect actively attempted to escape custody and was forced to the ground in order to control her," Yankowski said.
According to the police report, the girl was also charged with aggravated and felonious assault of police officer.
The department said both officers have been placed on administrative leave while an internal investigation is underway.
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