Video shows 13-year-old being punched by police, who say teen hit officer in face
‘I’m yelling, ‘she’s a minor, she’s a minor!’ They telling, ‘Ma’am get back, get back, do you wanna get locked up?’ aunt says
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Police in Phoenix, Arizona are investigating how a car theft investigation led to an officer punching a teenager multiple times in an incident that was filmed by a body camera.
The altercation occurred around 4.30pm on Monday outside an apartment building in a western part of the city. Police were investigating reports of a stolen car and saw several people inside the suspected vehicle.
“This was a call of an occupied stolen vehicle with several people inside of it, including the minor female in the video. At least two people, including that minor female, were arrested for charges including aggravated assault on a police officer,” Police Sergeant Ann Justus told Fox 10 Phoenix.
The body camera footage of the incident was released on Tuesday. Police at first said that the 13-year-old girl who was punched several times by an officer was inside the vehicle, but law enforcement later said in an update that she had actually been outside of the car.
Law enforcement added that she had approached officers and that she had refused to remain at a distance. This occurred before the violent altercation seen in the video, police said.
In a statement, Phoenix Police said “four men got out of the car” at the apartment complex.
“As officers were taking them into custody, people began gathering around, several of them filming the officers. Other officers told onlookers they needed to stay back during the arrests. One of the men being arrested, 25-year-old Javon Johnson, punched an officer in the face, and grabbed onto the officer’s gun. Other officers helped to restrain the man,” the department said.
“A female, who officers later learned was 13 years old, approached the officers as they were still detaining people,” police alleged. “She was warned multiple times to get back. She walked in front of officers as they were trying to put one of the men in the backseat of a police car and was moved out of the way by an officer.”
Police said that the 13-year-old “passed by the officers who ordered her to stay back” and that she “quickly approached two officers who had a man in custody”.
“A female officer saw her approaching the officers and grabbed her arm to pull her back. The female swung her arm at the female officer, striking the female officer on the right side of the face,” the police statement said.
Law enforcement added that the female officer’s body camera was “knocked off” when the 13-year-old hit her in the face.
“The female officer responded to being hit by striking the female in the face,” police said. “The female was evaluated for minor injuries and was booked into the Juvenile Correction Center on one count of aggravated assault on a police officer.”
The 13-year-old has been identified as Taylor Thomas. Her aunt, Charlene Thomas, said her niece has been falsely accused of assaulting an officer and that the family wants the police department to be held accountable.
Ms Thomas recorded the altercation, broadcasting it live on Facebook.
“I’m yelling, ‘she’s a minor, she’s a minor!’ They telling, ‘Ma’am get back, get back, do you wanna get locked up?’” she said, according to Fox.