Disturbing video of four Texas police officers appearing to punch and tase a suspect in handcuffs has gone viral (Pictured: Jason Donald)
Disturbing video of four Texas police officers appearing to punch and tase a suspect in handcuffs is garnering a massive amount of attention over the Internet.
The footage shows the officers, one wearing a ‘Naughty’ black Santa hat and three others wearing black face masks, outside an Austin convenient store shortly after arresting Jason Donald on Tuesday night.
Video of the arrest, captured by Austin local Mo Anderson, shows the officer in the Christmas cap exchange words with Donald near the entrance of the store.
The cops then lead the suspect around the side of the building, with loud shouting and pleas for help being heard moments later.
As the camera wraps around the corner, Donald is shown being forced to the ground as one of the masked officers repeatedly punches him in the head.
Another masked officer then fires a Taser into Donald, who appears to remain handcuffed throughout the violent episode.
The footage shows the officers, one wearing a ‘Naughty’ black Santa hat and three others wearing black face masks, outside an Austin convenient store shortly after arresting Donald
The cops then lead the suspect around the side of the building, with loud shouting and pleas for help being heard moments later
As the camera wraps around the corner, Donald is shown being forced to the ground as one of the masked officers repeatedly punches him in the head
Austin Police Chief Brian Manley said that the cellphone footage is only a partial depiction of the arrest
‘They punching me!’ Donald can be heard yelling, as the officers order: ‘Put your hands behind your back!’
Austin police later justified the use of force by claiming that the suspect had managed to escape from his restraints, which led to the altercation, according to the Austin American-Statesman
‘The suspect managed to slip one hand out of the handcuffs and had his hands in front of him,’ Austin police said in a statement.
The video has already garnered more than four million views since it was uploaded to Facebook earlier this week
‘The officers and suspect end up going to the ground, while the officers attempt to overcome his resistance and place him back in handcuffs.’
Austin Police Chief Brian Manley later said that Anderson’s cellphone footage is an incomplete depiction of the arrest.
‘The vital piece that’s missing from what we saw on the video that’s in social media fills in that gap of why we ended up with a resistance and why we ended up struggling with this suspect.’
As a result of the incident, Austin police announced that officers will no longer be allowed to wear face masks unless there is a specific need to protect their identity.
Manley told the Statesman that officers are not prohibited from striking the arms, legs or head of a suspect as long as the action is objectively reasonable.
It remains unclear if the officers involved in the incident were reprimanded following the arrest.
The video has already garnered more than four million views since it was uploaded to Facebook earlier this week.