A Sacramento police officer has come under fire after a video went viral of him placing a plastic bag over a black boy’s head during a recent arrest. Police claim they jumped into the help a security guard who claims the pre-teen was stealing and trespassing.
In cell phone footage released on social media, the police officer placed the young boy in handcuffs, yet as the two argued, he later placed a spit bag over the African-American boy’s head. The man who taped the encounter can also be heard arguing with the police as well.
Sacramento Police Department claim the officers were following protocol using the “spit mask” as a means of protecting themselves from the young boy who allegedly spat on them.
In the video, the young boy admits to spitting on the officers, telling them, “Yeah, I spit on you. How you like that s***?”
See Also: Sacramento District Attorney Needs Even More Time To ‘Review’ Stephon Clark Shooting
However, the family’s attorney Mark T. Harris argues that police should have known his client was just 12-years-old and this form of restraint wasn’t necessary.
“It was shameful,” Harris told FOX 40. “I’ve been practicing for 40 years. Never have I seen an adult with a bag placed over their head, let alone a child.”
The boy’s mother, Latoya Downs claims that she was scared for her son Isiah’s life.
“I started getting nervous. My hand started trembling. I’m like, ‘Oh my god, I hope this is not another Tamir Rice,’”she said.
See Also: ‘It Could Be Anybody’s Child Next’: Family Demands Georgia Cops Be Fired For Police Brutality On Boy
She added, “He was crying, he was scared. He was saying, ‘Mama, mama, they won’t let me go. I didn’t know it was gonna get this bad. I said, ‘I’m outraged. I don’t know what to do.’”
Interesting enough, Isiah was never charged with larceny, only spitting on the police. But his family maintains he never should have been detained in the first place and that he never stole anything.
Isiah’s family is also exploring the possibility of filing a lawsuit against the Sacramento Police Department and are currently demanding an apology.
“It shouldn’t have happened, it shouldn’t have got this far, and I want justice, I want justice for African-American girls and boys,” Downs told CBS 13.
SPD claims they plan on releasing body cam footage of the incident soon.
Sign Up For Our Newsletter!
For The Latest News: Follow @‘wolbbaltimore’
Cop Under Fire For Putting Plastic Bag Over A Black Boy’s Head During Arrest was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
