An investigation has begun after video emerged that appears to show nine California police officers involved in the forceful arrest of a 16-year-old boy accused of jaywalking.
The teen’s family filed a formal complaint Thursday over the confrontation in Stockton, which was partially recorded by a witness and posted to YouTube, NBC Los Angeles reported.
Police said the officers acted within policy but that there would be an additional investigation, it said.
The video, which does not capture the entire incident, shows the boy being arrested shortly before 7 a.m. Tuesday after he was walking in a bus lane, NBC Los Angeles reported.
A witness can be heard repeatedly shouting: “He’s just a kid!”
The video was posted by witness Edgar Avedaño, who gave his account of the incident on his Facebook page.
“The kid got stopped for jaywalking when he barely stepped out of the bus he was two feet away from the sidewalk when the cop stopped him for ‘jaywalking’,” he wrote. “He didn’t have to hit the kid with the baton & no need to call about 20 cops.”
Stockton Police Department Joe Silva said: “If everyone would just learn to comply with the lawful orders from police officers and not try to hold or grab any of our weapons force would never have to be used.”
The teen was cited for trespassing and resisting arrest, Silva told NBC Los Angeles.
Additional reporting by Becky Bratu
Alastair Jamieson
Andrew Blankstein