An alarming video posted to social media Monday shows the violent takedown of a man Sacramento deputies alleged had a warrant for his arrest, with authorities later realizing they’d nabbed the wrong guy.
The clip, which has been viewed over 20,000 times, shows the moment at least two officers accost the man in a parking lot, one of them deploying his Taser before delivering a forceful jump kick to the man’s back.
“Stop! Stop! Stop!” a woman behind the camera shouts as authorities proceed to tackle the apparently compliant man to the ground.
The woman, presumably the accused’s sister, recalled the incident in an Instagram post explaining that they had just finished eating with friends when they were suddenly faced with police.
“My brother was minding his business out for brunch with friends and when leaving the restaurant, he was attacked by the Sacramento police department,” she wrote. “In the video, officers were talking to a witness, saying they were doing all of this because my brother had a warrant.”
Atlanta Black Star confirmed it was actually Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department deputies seen in the video.
In the clip, one of the deputies pulls the woman out of her car and orders her to “stay out of the way” as her sibling is taken into custody. That same deputy, who alleged the “suspect” was “playing games” and defying police commands, then seemingly tries to block her shot as she films the arrest.
Using the IG handle @benjibrezzy, the unnamed woman said it was only after deputies handcuffed her brother that they realized they’d mistaken him for someone else.
“They just did all of this for no reason,” she wrote. “He didn’t have a felony warrant and on top of that, he’s never been to jail or committed any crime in his life.”
“All of what occurred in the video could have been prevented if they had simply asked for my brother’s ID before just attacking him,” she concluded.
The video sparked plenty of angry reactions from online critics, who called for discipline against the deputies involved.
“I hope all the officer, especially the one who did a flying kick get fired and lose their pension!” one user wrote.
“All that aggressive energy … SMH,” another chimed in.
Someone else suggested they sue the city, adding, sue “the police force! And those individual police officers!!!!!! God speed and prayers for your family.”
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department provided ABS with the following statement:
“The Sheriff’s Office Professional Standards Division has an open and on-going investigation into the facts and circumstances surrounding the video.”
