On Saturday, a Baltimore police officer was suspended from his position after a viral video showed him as the aggressor in a violent altercation with an unarmed man.
According to the Baltimore Sun, the incident occurred outside Q’s Bar and Liquors in the 2600 black of E. Monument St. in East Baltimore.
Although the footage did not show how the incident escalated to violence, it did show the entire physical altercation. In the video, the officer, whose name has yet to be revealed, is seen pushing the unidentified man against a wall, and placing his hand on his chest, prompting the man’s attempt to remove it.
However, that’s when the incident escalated.
The video shows the officer throwing punches at the man, shoving him into a wall and beating on him until he falls to the floor. After that, a second officer briefly holds the victim’s arm, as the first officer continues throwing blows. However, the man did not appear to fight back.
Although further details remain unclear, witnesses in the area say the officer knew of the victim from prior interactions, and believed that he may have been targeting him in the incident, which is why the man was initially talking back.
“He knows his rights, and he felt as though his rights were being violated, and he took offense to that,” one man said.
In the meantime, officials said the incident is under investigation and the officer involved has been suspended.
“The officer involved has been suspended while we investigate the totality of this incident,” Interim Police Commissioner Gary Tuggle said, adding that he was “deeply disturbed” by the video. However, whether the officer’s suspension is paid or unpaid, remains unclear.
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