Two Michigan police officers have been placed on leave after bodycam video released Wednesday showed at least one officer kicking an unarmed Black man in the head, in what the man’s attorney has called a “gang-style beating.”
The footage shows what occurred after Sterling Heights police officers stopped domestic violence suspect Garry Young following a car chase on Feb. 25 through the suburbs of Detroit.
During the chase, which police said spanned 13 miles with speeds up to 90 mph, Young “attempted to run over an officer … ran multiple red lights and swerved into oncoming traffic.”
After officers eventually caught up with Young, “the suspect was not compliant with commands and resisted attempts to be placed under arrest,” authorities said Wednesday.
In the bodycam footage, an officer can be seen punching Young in the head repeatedly before getting kicked in the face by the suspect. In response, officers punched Young again and kicked him in the head before finally placing him in handcuffs. He was also reportedly bitten by a police dog numerous times.
Young, who police said had a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit, suffered minor injuries and received medical treatment immediately after his arrest.
The Sterling Heights Police Department said it has opened an internal investigation into the use of force and called for a probe by the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office. The department released footage of the incident “in the spirit of transparency.”
“We want to be as transparent as possible during this entire process,” Sterling Heights Police Chief Dale Dwojakowski said. “Not only what the actions of the suspect [were], but the actions of our officers. Everyone has to be accountable, everybody. And that accountability starts with this independent investigation.”
The names of the officers placed on leave were not released.
Arnold Reed, an attorney representing Young, described the arrest as “a gang-style beating of an unarmed man by numerous people who happened to be wearing badges.”
“This is a classic case of extreme and outrageous conduct that could have taken a life. No matter what my client is accused of, what you see on this tape is completely unjustifiable,” Reed said in a press release. “Animals are treated better.”
Young, who was initially accused of kneeing a woman in the face and choking a child, has been charged with five felonies and three misdemeanors. He is currently out on bond.
