Outrage After Video Shows Hudson Valley Cop Slam Man to Ground
Many people are outraged after seeing a video that shows a Hudson Valley police officer slam a handcuffed man to the ground.
A video that went viral on social media this week has sparked outrage. The video, which you can see below, shows a man in a yellow jacket with his hands behind his back standing next to a police officer. After the man in the yellow jacket coughs, he's body-slammed to the ground by the officer, landing on his face and stomach.
A person can be heard screaming "he has seizures, he has seizures." Warning the video has language that some may find offensive.
Social media posts claimed the officer was from the Town of Wallkill Police Department.
"This is (the) Town of Wallkill police department," AJ McClain wrote while sharing a video of the incident on Tuesday. "Why didn’t the other officer on the scene report this? Why did it take this video release for discipline to happen? If you live in New York, please reach out to your local municipality and find out who's on your police reform board! This is why we took it to the streets, marched, protested, rallied! This will continue to happen until police officers are held accountable for their actions!"
Hudson Valley Post reached out to the Town of Wallkill Police Department and a spokesperson confirmed the officer is from the Town of Wallkill Police Department.
Police responded to reports of "disturbance' at 707 East Main Street on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020, at 2:37 a.m., police told Hudson Valley Post on Thursday.
Police also confirmed the officer slammed the handcuffed man to the ground, adding the officer has been suspended without pay.
" A subsequent investigation of the incident identified a Town of Wallkill Officer sweeping the legs from under a handcuffed suspect. The Officer has been suspended without pay pending further investigation," Town of Wallkill Police Department Lieutenant Robert McLymore said in a statement.
The officer's name was not released. It's unclear when the unnamed officer started serving his suspension or how long his suspension is.