Caught On Camera: Rough Arrest In Compton Under Investigation After Video Shared On Social Media
COMPTON (CBSLA) — An investigation was underway after video posted to social media showed deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Compton Station pushing a man's head into the ground during an arrest.
The video also appeared to show the deputies briefly push down on the man's neck as they tried to subdue him. The man in the video was resisting arrest and not complying with the deputy's orders.
Deputies could be heard in the video saying the man threw drugs away as they tried to stop him. The man recording the arrest on his phone yelled at the deputies, telling them not to kill the man over "dope."
The man being detained could be heard in the video calling out for help multiple times, and at one point said he couldn't breathe.
Additional deputies arrived on the scene, with five working to restrain and cuffing the man.
Roughly 2 minutes and 30 seconds after the video appeared to start, deputies walked the man to a curb and sat him down.
It was not immediately known why the man was initially stopped by deputies. The sheriff's department said it could not provide any details about what led up to the arrest.
"The man was saying that he couldn't breathe, so it is concerning to see that type of response when you're trying to apprehend someone," Compton Mayor Aja Brown said. "I just believe that there has to be better training."
Just last week, video was made public of a separate violent arrest — also in Compton — by sheriff's deputies that happened May 31. In that video, deputies were seen beating Dalvin Price while they arrested him.
After seeing the video, Brown raised the possibility of cutting ties with the sheriff's department.
"For me, it's just concerning that this is a much bigger, a deeper and more widespread issue," she said. "We're committed as city leadership to get more information. We sent notification to request all the documentation regarding deputy complaints so that we can just understand the nature of issues with our officers in the community."
It was not immediately clear if the man received medical treatment or if he filed a complaint about the arrest. A watch commander at the Compton Station said the incident was under investigation.
