A man in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, says he was punched by a police officer while he livestreamed an arrest on Facebook, according to the Daily Mail.
Joe says he began recording after he noticed five police cars around a suspect, which he felt was excessive. The Daily Mail reports that for most of the video, Joe narrates from about 50 feet away. He can be heard saying he did not want to get involved and was not looking for a problem.
About three minutes in, at least one officer realizes the stream is rolling and two officers walk toward him. One officer tells Joe he is filming a crime scene investigation and asks him for identification. When Joe starts to defend what he was doing, a scuffle over the phone can be seen before the stream ends.
The two sides tell different stories about what happened next. Joe claims the officer hit him with a “solid left hook” and says he needed medical treatment afterward. Police, for their part, say the officer used an “empty strike” during the arrest.
Joe was issued a citation for menacing and resisting arrest, according to the Daily Mail.
The video has been getting plenty of attention online, and plenty of people have opinions about whether he was too close to the scene. We will keep you posted on any response from the department.
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