The man did not appear to be resisting and the footage caused outrage throughout the community.
The arrest allegedly happened at the corner of Broad and Alabama streets and the 16-second video shows four Atlanta police officers and one suspect pinned to the pavement.
Now, the City of Atlanta Police Department has responded to the public’s concerns and recently announced their decision to suspend the officer involved.
Details + video below…
One of the officers who was allegedly involved in a controversial arrest last week has been placed on administrative leave while the incident is being investigated.
According to a statement from the Atlanta police department, the arrest happened on Thursday, June 22, and was captured in a Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta Facebook video.
#BLACKLIVESMATTER Happening right now?this is how #AtlantaPolice treats black men, this man is not offering any resistance.
?Black men aren?t safe in Atlanta. This is what I call a #BlueOnBlackCrime, as an organization, we stand against police brutality regardless the color of the officer. We now hereby DEMAND an internal investigation and will aggressively seek the immediate TERMINATION and expect CRIMINAL CHARGES to be filed against the officer in question.? ? Sir Maejor President of Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta?
The video doesn?t provide any context about what led to the arrest, or what the suspect is accused of, but many on social media say those details don?t matter, just the action of the officer in the moment.
The Atlanta Police Department issued a statement which reads in part,
The officer involved in the use of force depicted in the video has been relieved of duty and is currently on administrative leave. Following the conclusion of the internal investigation, Chief Erika Shields will review the evidence therein to determine the appropriate disciplinary action, if any.