Austin police being investigated after video of cop pepper-spraying bystander goes viral

After a video showing a police officer pepper-spraying a bystander, the police department in Austin, Texas has announced that it will investigate the event.

The confrontation happened early Sunday morning when police allegedly tackled and arrested a man, according to KXAN. A crowd formed around the man being arrested and more officers – some on horseback – moved in.

The video shows an officer holding pepper spray toward the crowd while the mounted officers tried to disperse the bystanders. One of the mounted officers snatches a cell phone out of the hands of a man recording the incident.

Another officer then rushes over and pepper-sprays that man as he tries to pick up his phone.

Austin police would not comment on the arrest or the events that followed, but told NBC News that the “police department is aware of this incident and they are conducting a review to determine if the officer’s conduct is compliant with our policy”.

This video is yet another in an on-going string of incidents that show police in the US displaying questionable tactics, which have launched a debate about police relations with citizens.

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