Woman who was punched in face by cop after getting into arguement over a jaywalking stop was captured on video.

June 16, 2010

Investigators in Seattle are looking into why a police officer punched a teen in the face during a seemingly routine stop for jaywalking.

The incident, captured on video, has drawn strong criticism over the cop’s actions, as well as the behavior of the alleged jaywalkers.

“This is another case of we are standing here and we are saying to the police shame on you,” James Kelly, President and CEO of the Urban League, told King 5 News. “The use of violence in the form of a full blown punch to the face was wrong.”

“He did nothing wrong,” Rich O’Neill said, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. “If anything, I think he maybe waited a little too long to engage in force because I think he was trying to defuse the situation.”

But “it was obvious from the audio anyway of the two individuals that they were not going to be calmed down.”

The incident began when an unnamed police officer spotted a teen jaywalking across Martin Luther King Jr. Way South around 3:10 p.m., according to a report on the Seattle Police Department Web site.

As he approached the 18-year-old male, the officer witnessed four females do the same thing at the same spot on the road, about 15 feet from a pedestrian crosswalk.

“The officer instructed the females to step over to his vehicle,” officials said. “They were verbally antagonistic.”

When one of them, a 19-year-old, began to walk away, the officer approached her and escorted her back.

“The female subject began to tense up her arm and pull away from the officer while yelling at him,” police said.

The two argued, and the officer attempted to cuff her. That is when, according to officials, another teen interceded.

“The second female subject placed her hands on the officer’s arm, causing the officer to believe she was attempting to physically affect the first subject’s escape,” police said.

A crowd had gathered around the officer by that time, and one witness captured much of the altercation on video.

The 17-year-old is seen on vido pushing the officer, who then responds by punching her in the face.

The crowd reacted with shock, and a voice is heard saying, “Are you serious?!”

Someone pulled the 17-year-old away, and the police officer proceeded to try to handcuff the 19-year-old.

“Do not struggle,” the cop orders the woman during the video.

Backup eventually arrived, police said, at which point the teen who was punched was handcuffed. She was later examined by medical personnel.

“You obviously have to take into context everything that occurred from the point that the officer did make contact with the individuals until the situation ended,” said Deputy Chief Nick Metz to King 5 News.

Metz noted there were some “concerns about the tactics the officer used.”

“There will be a thorough investigation into this incident,” said Police Sgt. Sean Whitcomb, according to Komo News.

Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/seattle-punches-woman-face-routine-jaywalking-stop-video-article-1.184339