BALTIMORE – A video showing an altercation between a Baltimore Police officer and a man who ultimately ended up in handcuffs is under investigation. The man involved is alleging police brutality and filing a $5 million lawsuit against the officer, who claims he feared for his safety.
The June 15 confrontation, captured by a City of Baltimore surveillance camera, has no sound, but the incident explodes off the screen. The footage shows Officer Vincent Cosom hitting 32-year-old Kollin Truss repeatedly.
The confrontation actually started minutes before it was caught on tape. According to Officer Cosom’s incident report, Truss was loitering outside a Charm City liquor store at 1:40 a.m. and was very intoxicated. Truss yelled an obscenity at Officer Cosom, according to the report.
Moments later, Truss and his then-girlfriend Stephanie Coleman walked away and crossed the street. Officers pursued. Officer Cosom, a six-year-veteran of the police force, claims Truss at one point pushed Coleman three times.
Officer Cosom stated in his report,
“At this time I went to place the male under arrest. He got into a fighting stance and clenched his fist. Me and the male got into a physical altercation due to me being in fear of my safety and I received a punch to the body.”
The video shows Truss looking down and walking away, when Officer Cosom moves in, punching Truss, who falls back onto a bus stop. Officer Cosom then lands more punches, while another officer holds back Truss’ right arm. Eventually, Coleman steps in to stop the punching—that’s when police arrest and charge Truss with assault and resisting arrest.
On Monday night, Baltimore Police issued a statement that reads, in part, “The Internal Affairs Division is conducting a thorough investigation and is asking that anyone with any information or evidence pertaining to this incident to come forward …”
After authorities viewed the video, the charges against Truss were dropped. Officer Cosom remains on duty.