Rancho Cordova police department and sheriff's office to investigate the conduct of one of their deputy's following extreme backlash, including from major stars like T.I. and Lauren Jauregui, over a viral video that shows the officer brutally punching a 14-year-old boy. A 15-second clip that surfaced on social media shows a deputy repeatedly punching a 14-year-old child.
Police have since responded to the video with claims that the 14-year-old boy was being "uncooperative" after a cop "saw what he believed to be a hand-to-hand exchange between an adult and juvenile," Rancho Cordova Police Department and the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office. said in a statement.
The cop had reportedly lost the adult that was in the area and tried to detain the juvenile to investigate the matter. The 14-year-old is lying on the ground in the clip as he gets pummelled but the police argued that the teen was being "physically resistive" and caused the officer to lose control of his hand-cuffs. "The deputy attempted to maintain control of the juvenile without his handcuffs and while alone waiting for his partners to arrive and assist him," the statement reads.
The video that surfaced was shared on Twitter came from the teen's sister. "My baby brother who is 14 years old. All of this over a swisher there's more footage but I wasn't able to upload it all," she wrote. "And to add on: my brother has a serious heart condition that could be triggered very easily by being hit in his chest/back! He's a kid and has never been in any kind of trouble with the law! He was very scared and in so much pain!!!"
The police said claimed they later recovered tobacco products on the teenager which they believe was the reason why he resisted. "This type of situation is hard on everyone--the young man, who resisted arrest, and the officer, who would much rather have him cooperate," the statement added.
Though there was much backlash across social media, T.I. made a concerted effort to blast the police department. "This shit unacceptable!!!
No excuse to do nobody child this way!!!" Tip said on an IG Post.
Meanwhile, Lauren Jauregui quoted the official statement with a series of tweets blasting the department for even trying to defend the cop. "This officer very obviously used excessive force on a child. Not a “juvenile”; a child. He is 14 years old and clearly being assaulted by a full grown man. Punched, choked, dragged through gravel, had his head held down, and had the full weight of a grown man on top of him," she wrote.
Check out T.I. and Lauren Jauregui's response below.
