A Los Angeles police officer has been removed from field duties and is under investigation after a video showed him punching a handcuffed man during an arrest. Per ABC7, the July 28 incident happened during a traffic stop in Watts.
The handcuffed individual the officer punched was identified as Alexander Mitchell, and the law enforcement official in question was with another colleague when they arrested the 28-year-old. In the video, Mitchell is seen handcuffed and asking, “What did I do, though?”
An officer is then seen punching Mitchell, and bystanders are heard reacting in shock. His family and activists said they want that officer to be criminally charged for his actions.
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Responding to the incident in a statement, the Los Angeles Police Department said that the traffic stop was executed after officers noticed a car had been double-parked and was facing traffic.
Authorities said the car also had “heavily tinted windows” and officers previously thought the vehicle had no occupant. After realizing Mitchell was inside, officers instructed the 28-year-old to exit the vehicle and subsequently attempted to handcuff him, authorities said.
“As a crowd began to gather around the scene, additional backup was requested,” the LAPD said on Tuesday. “During the handcuffing process, Mitchell resisted by refusing to place his hands behind his back and grasping his front waistband/pocket area with his right hand, preventing the officers from securing him. An officer then struck Mitchell on the right side of his face, enabling the officers to complete the handcuffing.”
Authorities said Mitchell was then taken to a hospital for “medical clearance prior to booking”, adding that he was arrested and charged with obstructing and resisting arrest, ABC7 reported. He ultimately received a misdemeanor citation and was released. He is also set to appear in court at a later date.
The video of the incident drew outrage, and Mitchell’s mother during a press conference on Tuesday said that her son “would’ve been in jail” if the “tables were turned.” “If he would’ve punched that officer the way he punched my son, it would’ve been a different story, so he needs to be held accountable,” she added.
Mitchell’s attorney, Brad Gage, also said the officers ordered the 28-year-old to exit the vehicle while he was waiting for a friend. “All I can tell you is he was handcuffed behind behind his back, and he was compliant and he did nothing wrong,” Gage claimed. “He did not deserve to be treated this way.”
Gage also claimed the motive behind the traffic stop was not explained to Mitchell. He further claimed Mitchell was punched not just once – though the video showed just a punch.
“There’s only one thing that they charged him with, and that was after the fact, obstructing an investigation, so basically, what they say is when you’re handcuffed and getting punched, if you’re not talking to us, you’re obstructing us,” Gage said.
But the Los Angeles Police Protective League in a statement appeared to justify the officer’s actions. “The recent social media post showing a portion of a police encounter where two LAPD officers are attempting to gain compliance from a large man to place him in handcuffs is misleading, lacks context, and is being exploited by some for political reasons,” the statement said, per ABC7.
The union also made mention of a March 2023 bulletin which says that “strikes and/or kicks can be used when such force is objectively reasonable to accomplish the following: Overcome active resistance to arrest, Create distance from a suspect, Protect self or others from injury, Stop or stun a suspect, Distract a suspect”
“This incident never happens if the individual is not double-parked facing traffic, thus creating a traffic hazard, and if the individual simply complies with simple requests from the responding officers instead of resisting,” Craig Lally, who is the President of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, also said.
“The officers followed their training and sometimes placing someone into handcuffs gets physical, it is the suspect’s actions that most often times dictates the level of physicality.”
