LA County Sheriff says he's investigating two use of force cases involving his deputies
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said they are investigating two incidents captured on video involving his deputies and their use of force in recent days as protesters took to the streets demanding justice over the death of George Floyd.
While the sheriff didn't specify which videos and incidents were being investigated, they are both believed to be involving protesters. The sheriff said that the videos were posted and widely shared on social media.
One video posted on Twitter showed two deputies forcefully detaining a black man in Compton. The man continually repeated, "I'm on the ground!" Yet the two deputies continued to slam him down on the pavement. A third officer responded and struck the man several times with his knee even though the man wasn't resisting arrest.
FOX 11 has reached out to the sheriff's department in an attempt to confirm whether the video is of his deputies and if it's one of the two incidents under investigation. We are waiting to hear back.
The sheriff said that the cases will be thoroughly investigated and that the department will examine its tactics, policies and procedures.
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Villanueva called out the county's Board of Supervisors on Twitter, saying that they need to fully fund the department's body-worn camera project.
"The public deserves full transparency," he said.
The sheriff also encouraged any bystanders who may have captured the incidents, particularly the events which led up to the incidents, to contact the sheriff's department.