AUSTIN, Texas — A video of an arrest in downtown Austin on Friday night has gone viral on social media, with many people questioning the use of force the clip seems to depict.
Twitter user Patrick King tweeted out a recording of the arrest on 4th Street outside of the Rain nightclub. King says he has no idea what led to the man being arrested, but called into question the methods the two Austin Police officers were using to subdue the man:
Last night I was out with some friends in Austin and witnessed police brutality first hand for the first time. It’s a different feeling when you see it on tv or all over the internet than when you actually witness it happening no less than 10 feet in front of you. @Austin_Police pic.twitter.com/MEXc1l5OtS
— Patty (@YingYangPK) 4 July 2018
In a follow up tweet, King wonders “How in the actually F**K can you tell someone to put their hands behind their back and stop resisting arrest when you’re literally sitting on his body and holding him not giving him the chance to move?!”
Austin Police Chief Brian Manley responded to King’s tweet, writing “Thank you for bringing this video to our attention and allowing us time to look into the incident. As is standard protocol, the officers chain of command is reviewing all details surrounding this incident.”
Thank you for bringing this video to our attention and allowing us time to look into the incident. As is standard protocol, the officers chain of command is reviewing all details surrounding this incident. https://t.co/bum5XKMAkC
— Chief Brian Manley (@chief_manley) 4 July 2018
Neither the identity of the man being arrested in the video or the charge he faces have been released.