Seattle Cop Punches Teen in Face; Seen on Video

sara1981

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Seattle Cop Punches Teen in Face; Seen on Video
Seattle Cop Punches Teen in Face; Seen on Video - The Early Show - CBS News

Seattle police say they'll review police tactics and training after an officer was shown on video punching a young woman in the face.

Acting Deputy Police Chief Nick Metz said Tuesday that the department's civilian-led Office of Professional Accountability is investigating the actions of Officer Ian P. Walsh, 39.

He was trying to cite several people for jaywalking just before Monday's incident, which was captured on cell phone video.

It shows Walsh trying to arrest 19-year old Marilyn Levias. The two were already struggling when Levias' friend, a 17-year-old, pushed the officer, and he responded by punching the friend in the face.

"Are you serious? Are you serious?" bystanders are heard saying.

Metz says the two teens in the video bear much of the responsibility for not cooperating and resisting arrest.

The Seattle Police Officers' Guild is defending Metz, saying, if he made any mistake, it was in waiting to use force. "He did nothing wrong," insists the Guild's Rich O'Neill. "I think he was trying to defuse the situation and calm people down."

O'Neill also says the punch that bruised Levias' face is what officers are trained to do. "If they had an abrasion or scrape or whatever, oh, well: They should have thought of that when they put their hands on the officer," O'Neill contends.

But leaders of several community groups, while not excusing the suspects, Walsh clearly overreacted.

"The use of violence in the form of a full-blown fist to the face was wrong," Seattle Urban League President and CEO James Kelly told reporters. He says the punch brought to mind a video taken April 17 of two Seattle officers seen kicking a Hispanic suspect.

The 17-year old was in court Tuesday, charged with assaulting an officer and released.

Levias was arrested on charges of obstructing a police officer.
 
I saw this last nite and I support 110% Seattle police officer's course of action . Those 2 teens are in the wrong. That girl was such a nappy yappy brat
 
I saw this last nite and I support 110% Seattle police officer's course of action . Those 2 teens are in the wrong. That girl was such a nappy yappy brat

Watched the video last night, too. And I can't say that I blamed the officer for his reactions.
 
Yeah the officer had no choice......in fact I thought his actions were pretty restrained.
 
I'm wondering if the officer had Tazer on his belt but if he didn't use it.... he showed an incredible amount of restraint. He didn't use pepper spray either.
 
Uh, huh. At least he didn't shoot and kill her.

yea I know right? her long fingernails or purse could seriously injure or kill an officer :aw:
 
They were resisting and disobeying lawful orders. And one of them was obstructing the officer. Those girls weren't very smart.
 
Then don't punch, hit, or otherwise push an officer in the attempt to obstruct a police officer's duty.
 
Seattle police to review training after girl punched
BBC News - Seattle police to review training after girl punched

Seattle police are to review training procedures after video of an officer punching a teenage girl circulated widely on US television and online.

The officer struck the 17-year-old after she tried to intervene while he was scuffling with another teenage girl he had seen jaywalking, officials said.

The Seattle police union defended the officer, saying he was working alone amid a crowd and feared for his safety.

The girls, who were arrested, were not harmed in the incident, police said.

In the video, shot on Monday, the officer is shown struggling with a girl in black who police said had tried to leave the scene when he confronted her about jaywalking.

A girl in a pink top intervenes, apparently trying to free the other girl. The footage then shows the police officer punching her as onlookers watch.

The officer, Ian Walsh, has been transferred temporarily to the department's training unit, Seattle police said.

Police officials said the review of training procedures was not meant as a criticism of the officer's actions but would examine whether training could be improved.

Seattle police officers' guild president Richard O'Neill said officers were wary of crowds that could turn violent.

"This officer, if you see on the video, was surrounded by an ever-growing group," he said. "This could have been a tragedy."

A Seattle police spokesman said that use of force was within an individual officer's discretion.
 
Black women and white cops....again? I'm expecting Al Sharpton would say something about it at any moment...

Btw, I'm with Jiro on this one. Those women are locas.
 
It's getting to be a big deal. Some people say they see a guy with a gun in the video at about 1:30 or so when he is trying to put the cuffs on the skinny one.
 
No objections from me. I'm pretty open about my dislike of police officers, but I think this guy did nothing wrong. He was in a dangerous situation and should have had backup. He did what he had to do. Although, I must say that arresting people for jaywalking is some pretty lame ass shit, but that's not the issue here.
 
No objections from me. I'm pretty open about my dislike of police officers, but I think this guy did nothing wrong. He was in a dangerous situation and should have had backup. He did what he had to do. Although, I must say that arresting people for jaywalking is some pretty lame ass shit, but that's not the issue here.

no no. The officer was not arresting them for jaywalking. There was a group of people jaywalking on a serious level where the cop had them off the street and wait by his police car. That was when they got verbally abusive to officer. The girl he was arresting was the one who disobeyed him and ignored him. That's why he arrested her.
 
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