IMPD issues statement on viral video that shows its officers making arrest in downtown Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS - The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department issued a statement on a viral video that shows its officers making an arrest in downtown Indianapolis early Sunday morning.




In its statement, IMPD indicated that the officers involved in the incident were working with the agency's Event Response Group (ERG). IMPD deployed its ERG team in downtown Indianapolis to help manage large crowds as bars were closing for the night.




The ERG team responded to several disturbances downtown as bars were letting out, and officers were attempting to prevent any fights that were breaking out from escalating.




The incident in the video in question involved two men who were shouting at each other and engaging in a physical confrontation. An IMPD officer observed the confrontation and a large crowd forming around it.




IMPD indicated that the officer intervened in the fight and told the men to separate. After the officer's intervention, one of the men walked away and the other remained at the scene.




IMPD reported that one of the individuals squared his shoulders at the intervening officer during the altercation. According to IMPD, the same individual also struck the officer's hand as he was trying to extend his arm to create space.




After the man struck the officer's hand, the officer fired three projectiles from a high-pressure launcher. Those projectiles struck the man in the chest.




As the officer moved in to make an arrest, the man pulled away and attempted to flee the scene, according to IMPD.




Police reported that officers took the man to the ground and attempted to restrain him. IMPD indicated that, during a struggle to gain control of the man's hands, another officer struck the man's torso with his fist three times. Per IMPD, the officer delivered the punches because he was attempting to get the man to comply with orders and take him into custody.




IMPD reported that the man was arrested after the confrontation and preliminarily charged with disorderly conduct, battery on a public safety official, resisting law enforcement and possession of marijuana.




FOX59/CBS4 found a video that matches the description of the incident IMPD provided in its statement. The video, which was republished on multiple Facebook pages, already has more than 65,000 views.




In its statement on the incident, IMPD emphasized that videos circulating online do not show the entirety of the arrest. Police also reported that they will conduct a review of the incident in compliance with IMPD policy.




"It's important to note that the videos currently circulating capture only a portion of the incident and what was occurring in the area at the time," IMPD officials wrote in their statement. "We are continuing to gather information about what led up to and followed the events depicted in the video clips.




"As with all uses of force, this incident is being taken seriously and will be subject to a thorough administrative review in accordance with IMPD's General Orders. Every use of force is reviewed to determine whether the officer's use of force was reasonable based on a totality of the circumstances and consistent with department policy and training."




This is a developing story. Check back for updates.





via: https://fox59.com/news/impd-issues-statement-on-viral-video-that-shows-its-officers-making-arrest-in-downtown-indianapolis/