A formal investigation into the Greensboro Police Department (GPD) in North Carolina is underway after one officer was caught on camera beating a Black man during his arrest. Now, the local community is demanding answers after Nathaniel Williams’ arrest took a dark turn.
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On the night of Nov. 2, patrolling officers spotted Williams, 37, behind the wheel of his car in a parking lot. Police said Williams had marijuana on his lap when police approached him, according to ABC 45 News. This prompted officers to demand he step out of the vehicle. According to reports, however, the suspect refused to do so, and chaos ensued.
GPD were eventually able to remove Williams from the parked car, but not without a struggle, according to reports. Both of the man’s hands were placed in handcuffs until he was able to get one hand free. Officials say he then assaulted one of the officers before being taken to the ground by the rest of the cops.
It’s right then that video footage taken by an unidentified civilian reportedly captured one officer repeatedly punching Williams in the shoulder while he was already on the ground. It’s also important to note the video showed at least two other officers were already on top of him at the same time.
According to the GPD, the 37-year-old tucked his free hand underneath his body in an effort to avoid being cuffed again. The officer in the video reportedly struck Williams with “suprascapular strikes to his back shoulder area to get him to release his arm,” TMZ reported.
The video has since gone viral, with folks online demanding the arresting officers face consequences. GPD confirmed that the officer in the video has not been placed on leave following Williams’ arrest. GPD Chief John Thompson also refused to confirm if the officer had any previous complaints.
Williams was charged with two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer, destruction of evidence, misdemeanor possession of marijuana, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia for marijuana, misdemeanor maintain a vehicle/dwelling/place for controlled substance, misdemeanor resist, delay, obstruct and misdemeanor communicating threats, WXII reported. Marijuana is still illegal in the state.
“The officers were doing exactly what we asked them to do,” Thompson said in a news conference. Police also revealed that EMS was called to the scene because officers believed Williams ingested some type of narcotic. It’s unclear if the suspect sustained any injures following the attack.
Now, the department’s Professional Standards Division is handling the investigation. Three days after the arrest, Chief Thompson said they’re working to release body camera footage from the incident. He said the video will support the department’s claims.
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