A Texas police officer has been placed on administrative leave after a video was posted to YouTube Friday showing the officer using excessive force to apprehend a teenage girl.
Cpl. Eric Casebolt of the McKinney Police Department was shown in the video wrestling the girl to the ground and pinning her to the ground with his knees, as well as pointing his gun at and chasing after two other teenagers. The teenagers were attending a pool party at the Craig Ranch gated community, hosted by resident Tatiana Rhodes, 19.
Rhodes said that the incident began when she was verbally and physically assaulted by another woman.
“She was saying things such as, ‘black F-er,’ and ‘That’s why you live in Section 8 homes,'” said Rhodes in another video posted to YouTube.
Rhodes then said that the woman, along with another female passerby, “attacked me.” Neither woman has been identified, according to The Dallas Morning News.
McKinney police said that there were three officers on the scene, including Cpl. Casebolt. The officers reportedly responded to 911 calls reporting unruly teenagers, according to CNN.
“The initial call came in as a disturbance involving multiple juveniles at the location — who do not live in the area or have permission to be there — refusing to leave,” said the department in a statement. “McKinney Police received several additional calls related to this incident advising that juveniles were now actively fighting.”
Cpl. Casebolt is currently on administrative leave following the incident. McKinney Police Chief Greg Conley said that the incident would be subject to an “internal investigation.”
“Any time you confront a large group of people, it’s a very dynamic situation and tensions can rise very quickly,” said Chief Conley.
McKinney mayor Brian Loughmiller said that he was “disturbed and concerned” by the video’s content.
“Our expectation as a City Council is that our police department and other departments will act professionally and with appropriate restraint relative to the situation they are faced with,” said Loughmiller.
Watch the original video of the incident below:
