Former Weymouth police officer pleads guilty to repeatedly punching man 13 times during 2022 arrest
Former Weymouth Police officer Justin Chappell pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday to repeatedly punching a man in handcuffs during a 2022 arrest without legal justification.
The 43-year-old Chappell pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. He was charged with the crime earlier this month.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Chappell could be seen on video in a violent struggle with an allegedly intoxicated man at a Weymouth home on July 2, 2022.
After getting the man into his cruiser, Chappell can be seen striking the arrestee 13 times with a closed fist, causing visible injury.
Chappell will be sentenced on July 16, 2024.
The charge of deprivation of rights under color of law resulting in bodily injury provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
“Members of law enforcement take an oath to serve and protect with professionalism and integrity,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.
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State trooper’s shooting of a Brooklyn man during a court-ordered eviction was deemed justified
A state trooper’s shooting of a Brooklyn man during a court-ordered eviction was deemed justified by the Office of Inspector General.
The inspector general released its report on the shooting of Byron Harvey by Trooper Romello Lumpkin. It happened on May 9, 2023.
State police were responding to an eviction at a home on Tiffany Street. Harvey refused to leave the apartment, state officials said.
The state marshal requested help because of a large dog in the apartment.
The marshal, Trooper Yeung, and two Animal Control Officers entered the apartment by using a key from the landlord. They saw Harvey standing in the living room and holding a large knife.
“Trooper Yeung gave Harvey multiple commands to ‘put the weapon down,’ but he refused,” said the inspector general.
Yeung then called for backup and Trooper Lumpkin, Sergeant Brian Lovell, and others responded.
Harvey refused to drop the knife. According to the report, he said, “You’re going to have to shoot me … if you don’t, I’m going to get at least one of you.”
Harvey walked toward the troopers with the knife in a raised position, officials said. Lumpkin then shot Harvey in the abdomen.
The inspector general’s office said Lumpkin’s use of force was justified because he was trying to stop Harvey’s attack.
“The investigation establishes that Trooper Romello Lumpkin used deadly force against Byron Harvey to stop Harvey’s attempted knife attack. I therefore conclude that Trooper Lumpkin’s use of force was justified under Connecticut law. The Office of Inspector General will take no further action on this matter,” the inspector general said.
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Auburn Police arrest man accused of intentionally trying to hitting people with his car
Auburn Police have arrested a man they say intentionally tried to hit people with his car.
Officers responded to Lea Hill Park on April 20 for reports of a vehicle driving through trying to hit people in the park.
While en route to the park, officers passed the described suspect vehicle as it was leaving. A short chase began, but an officer was able to use their vehicle to get the suspect vehicle to stop.
An 18-year-old was arrested and booked into King County Jail on multiple felony charges, including domestic violence assault.
An early investigation indicates that this was an incident of domestic violence and that the driver was targeting his significant other.
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Intoxicated Woman Resists, Berates and Spits on Flagler Deputies During Arrest
On Friday, April 19 just after 7 p.m., deputies responded to a duplex on Farraday Lane in Palm Coast after the FCSO Communications Center received a 9-1-1 call regarding a highly intoxicated female.
Prior to arriving at the residence, Deputy Parker located the woman, Julia Jones, 40, a Palm Coast resident, at the intersection of Farraday Lane and Fawn Lane. While speaking with her, deputies noticed she could not keep her balance and smelled strongly of alcohol. They asked her to stand next to the patrol car to keep from swaying into oncoming traffic, and at that point she became extremely agitated and began screaming.
While deputies attempted to detain her to prevent further disturbance, she began spitting on the deputies and struggling to break free. After several minutes, deputies and medical personnel were able to gain control of Jones and place her in the back of the patrol car. During a search of her backpack, deputies located a small bag that contained three white pills that were identified as containing acetaminophen and hydrocodone.
Jones was arrested on charges of Disorderly Intoxication – Public Place, Cause Disturbance; Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer; and Possession of Hydrocodone. While en route to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, Jones began banging her head repeatedly inside the vehicle and actively screaming. Deputies transported her to AdventHealth for medical clearance before she was taken to jail. Jones posted a bond of $7,500 and was released.
“This woman disrupted a peaceful neighborhood and then continued to berate and attack and spit on deputies,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “If you spit and attack a Deputy Sheriff, we guarantee you a trip to the Green Roof Inn.”
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LAPD SWAT team fatally shoots armed robbery suspect after he jumped off a 3rd story balcony w/ rifle
Los Angeles police shot and killed an armed robbery suspect after serving a search and arrest warrant Thursday morning in Reseda, authorities said.
The shooting occurred about 4:45 a.m. in the 7900 block of Reseda Boulevard, in a residential area between Roscoe Boulevard and Sherman Way, according to the LAPD.
Police detectives and SWAT personnel were serving the warrant at the location when the wanted man emerged, armed with a rifle, authorities told ABC7 at the scene. Shortly after 5 a.m., he jumped from a balcony.
"He did exit, but he did not come willingly to the officers," said LAPD Det. Meghan Aguilar. "He was armed with a rifle. At which point the officers who saw him exit did give him commands to drop the rifle."
"Ultimately, though, an officer-involved shooting occurred."
"The suspect was struck by gunfire, and he was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased."
A rifle was taken into evidence at the scene. The suspect was identified only as a man in his late 30s.
No officers or bystanders were injured.
Details about the alleged armed robbery that led to the warrant were not immediately available.
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LAPD release bodycam of a suspect wanted for an outstanding warrant and died in police custody
A 33-year-old man died while in the custody of Los Angeles police, authorities said Friday.
The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner informed the Los Angeles Police Department Custody Services Division on Wednesday that Ronald Shaheen was pronounced dead by hospital staff, the LAPD reported.
Shaheen was taken to the county medical examiner’s Forensic Science Center, where an autopsy report was pending.
At about 8:30 a.m. on March 10, LAPD Transit Division officers were patrolling on foot at the Seventh Street and Metro Center station, where they encountered Shaheen allegedly loitering in the area.
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The officers conducted a warrant check and discovered Shaheen had an outstanding felony warrant. He was arrested and transported to the Metropolitan Detention Center for booking.
“During the pre-booking process at MDC, Shaheen appeared to be suffering from a medical emergency,” the police department said in a statement. “A Los Angeles Fire Department rescue ambulance responded to MDC and transported Shaheen to a local hospital. He was subsequently admitted and was later absentee booked on the arrest warrant.”
While hospitalized on March 13, Shaheen was “cited out” for his arrest warrant.
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Mesa police release bodycam of officer shooting at a stolen vehicle suspect armed with a knife
The incident occurred around 8:30 a.m. in a neighborhood near Stapley Drive and Main Street.
Police say the incident started with officers tracking a stolen work vehicle to the area. When officers arrived to locate the vehicle, 25-year-old Pedro Garcia came out of a residence and approached the vehicle.
Police add that when Garcia was questioned about the stolen vehicle, he pulled a knife out of his waistband and lunged at officers.
That's when two officers fired a total of three shots at Garcia.
Nobody was struck by the gunfire.
The suspect retreated and allegedly would not comply with commands. Eventually, bean bag rounds and a Taser were used to take the man into custody.
The suspect faces felony charges.
Police say Garcia admitted to stealing the vehicle from Tempe.
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Dashcam shows suspect crashing into Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper
One man is in custody after a crash involving an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper.
Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the crash near the I-44 exit on West 49th Street around 11 a.m. it involved three vehicles.
OHP said Augusto came off the ramp at a high speed, hit the side of the first vehicle, causing it to spin and go over the curb before hitting the trooper traveling south.
They also released photos of the damage to the trooper's SUV.
Troopers said Augusto ran from the scene of the accident, but OHP arrested. There were minor injuries at the scene, but nobody was taken to the hospital.
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Dash camera video shows a Moore police officer assist a family of geese cross a busy road
Officer Lentz was at the intersection of Southwest 19th Street and South Telephone Road when he spotted a family of geese, two adults and six chicks, attempting to cross.
"Come on," Lentz can be heard saying in the footage. "Come on doggies."
Lentz can be seen using his patrol car to block the intersection and escort the family across the road.
"There you go, little guys," Lentz said when the geese reached the other side of the road.
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Hillsborough County Sheriffs release helicopter, bodycam footage of car theft suspect being arrested
Two individuals operating a stolen vehicle thought they could outrun deputies. Little did they know, our Aviation Unit was above tracking their erratic behavior.
Coupled with our K9 Unit's precision, deputies arrested Neremiah Lopez, 15, and Yamilex Santana, 18, for Grand Theft Auto, amongst others.
"I'm consistently impressed with the precision and speed of our deputies," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "Less than seven minutes after these two recklessly ditched their car, law enforcement from HCSO, Pasco County, Hernando County, and FHP took these criminals into custody."
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Kissimmee man faces drugs charges after 113 mph pursuit on I-4
The arrest of a Kissimmee man who led Volusia County deputies on a high-speed pursuit along Interstate 4 on Saturday “wrapped up” a three-day sheriff’s office traffic operation in and around the city of Deltona, the agency said.
Kevin Olivo Rivera, 29, reached speeds of 113 mph in a rented BMW X3 while attempting to run from a deputy on I-4s.
The sheriff’s office shared body-worn camera video showing the moment a deputy deployed stop sticks at Orange Camp Road. OIivo Rivera took the SUV back onto I-4, but it soon came to a stop with the newly-flattened tires.
The video shows Olivo Rivera’s arrest, during which he was found to be a convicted felon, the sheriff’s office said. Deputies searching the BMW located cocaine, oxycodone, MDMA, alprazolam, marijuana and 165 rounds of ammunition, the post states, adding a handgun that Olivo Rivera allegedly threw into the woods was later recovered by a K-9 unit.
Olivo Rivera faces charges of violating probation (prior case); fleeing/eluding law enforcement with disregard to the safety of persons/property; possession of cannabis with intent to sell; trafficking in cocaine/mixture from 28 grams to 150 kilograms; trafficking in oxycodone from 7 grams to 14 grams; trafficking other controlled substances from 4 grams to 30 kilograms; possession of amphetamines with intent to sell, manufacture and/or deliver; constructive possession of a conveyance used for the purpose of trafficking; driving while license revoked (habitual); resisting an officer without violence; two counts of possession of a weapon by an in-state felon; possession of paraphernalia; and tampering with evidence, booking records show.
At his first appearance in court Sunday morning, a judge ordered that Olivo Rivera be held on no bond pursuant to the violation of probation.
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Ukraine police release bodycam of a traffic stop that resulted in the death and injury of an officer
One police officer was killed and one was wounded as a result of an armed attack by unknown persons on Saturday night in the Gaysinsky district of Vinnytsia region, reports the communications department of the National Police of Ukraine.
“At about 2 a.m. in the Gaysinsky district of the Vinnytsia region, police stopped an unknown dark-colored car to check. There were two men in the car. They opened fire on the police. A 20-year-old policeman died from his injuries, his partner was wounded,” the report says. .
A police operation has been introduced in the Vinnitsa and Odessa regions.
“Thanks to the efforts of the operational services, it was possible to identify persons likely involved in the crime. The information was sent to all regional units of the National Police... Measures are being taken to locate and detain persons involved in the murder of our colleague,” the National Police said.
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Bodycam footage shows moments Henderson police rescue 8-year-old girl from apartment fire
New bodycam footage shows the heroics of some local first responders.
The Henderson Police Department released the video showing the moments officers responded to an apartment fire near Patrick Lane and Galleria Drive.
We want to warn you that you may find this disturbing to watch.
On March 10, officers responded to a report of an apartment fire at 981 Whitney Ranch Drive.
Upon arrival, officers observed the apartment's windows shattered, with smoke and flames coming from within.
Officers were then informed that a mother and daughter were trapped inside the burning apartment.
Acting swiftly and without hesitation, the courageous officers successfully rescued an 8-year-old girl and two dogs from the apartment; no one else was inside.
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Police release footage of Cottonwood officer fatally shooting man after a violent altercation
Cottonwood police made public segments of bodycam footage showing one of its officers fatally shooting a man following a violent altercation April 12th.
The incident is currently under investigation by the Arizona Department of Public Safety Major Incident Division. The Cottonwood Police Department announced its findings in a video that included dash camera footage and body-worn camera footage.
At about 7:50 p.m. on April 12, an officer from the Cottonwood Police Department conducted a traffic stop in the 500 block of South 12th Street in Cottonwood for a vehicle driving with no headlights and following another car too closely.
During the traffic stop, dashcam and bodycam footage revealed the driver, identified as 32-year-old Cottonwood resident Donovan Jelicich, exited his vehicle, despite being ordered to stay inside the vehicle by the officer.
After a brief conversation, in which he can be heard in the footage shouting expletives while trying to locate his registration and insurance information, Jelicich can be seen attacking the officer without warning.
Jelicich and the officer begin wrestling, with footage showing one of Jelicich's arms wrapped around the officer's neck. During the struggle, Jelicich attempts to take the officer's firearm and the magazine comes out of the weapon.
Bodycam and dashcam footage then show Jelicich and the officer falling into a nearby embankment during the conflict, with the officer requesting backup while attempting to deploy his Taser in order to subdue Jelicich. The Taser was shown to be ineffective as Jelicich remained aggressive and rushed at the officer. The officer can be seen deploying his Taser once more in the footage, but it was once again ineffective.
During the second attack, footage showed Jelicich grabbing a large rock and striking the officer in the side of the head, causing the officer to fall on his back. The officer then discharges a single shot from his firearm to stop the attack.
When additional officers arrived on the scene, they immediately began rendering aid to Jelicich before the arrival of the Cottonwood Fire Department and paramedics. Jelicich was then helicoptered to a hospital for further medical treatment, where he died several days later from the gunshot wound, according to authorities.
The officer sustained multiple injuries to his head and eye during the altercation and required hospital treatment along with follow-up care as a result of his injuries.
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Deputies Render Medical Aid, 1 Arrested In Holly Hill Area After Stabbing
On Thursday night, deputies responded to a stabbing reported on a sidewalk off LPGA Boulevard in the Daytona Beach/Holly Hill area.
A deputy monitoring his Live911 audio feed was able to hear the 911 call in real time around 9:11 p.m., locate the victim, and provide emergency medical treatment of a life-threatening stab wound to the chest.
While treating the victim, deputies were also able to gather and disseminate information about the suspect, 23-year-old Skylar Bigham (DOB 10/20/2000), who had fled the area. He was located just after midnight by an officer with the Holly Hill Police Department. It was determined Bigham had been using a police scanner app to listen to law enforcement radio traffic in an effort to avoid capture.
The victim was transported to an area hospital, where he required emergency surgery but was expected to survive.
According to interviews with witnesses, the stabbing stemmed from an argument over a woman that both the defendant and victim dated. All parties involved in the incident are residents of camps in the woods in the area.
Bigham was arrested on charges of aggravated battery, tampering with evidence, possession of methamphetamine and possession of narcotic paraphernalia. He is being held at the Volusia County Branch Jail with no bond as of this post.
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Seattle police releases video of deadly shooting of suspected child predator at Tukwila hotel
Seattle police released new bodycam video Friday evening that shows the moments leading up toofficers fatally shooting a suspected child predator at a Tukwila hotel earlier this week.
Seattle Police Department (SPD) Chief Adrian Diaz said the 67-year-old child predator suspect arrived at the DoubleTree Suites hotel around 3:13 p.m. on Wednesday under the impression that he was meeting two young girls, ages 7 and 11.
However, unbeknownst to the suspect, multiple SPD officers with the Washington State Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce were undercover and waiting to arrest the man.
The task force at the SPD investigates Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) cases. These cases may include the production, distribution or possession of materials used to sexually exploit children or service provider systems used in committing such crimes.
The newly released video shows the officers opening the door for the man, who immediately flashed a gun. A scuffle then occurred before police ultimately fatally shot the man. The man was later pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.
Officials at the scene said a Seattle officer was grazed by a bullet in their leg during the shootout with the man.
Diaz continued to note that internet crimes against children are up 67% from 2022 to 2023.
"For our officers, these situations are dangerous, unpredictable, and can escalate rapidly," Diaz said.
“I was running, I could see someone firing a gun,” said Eric Wehrmeister, who was staying at the hotel several doors down. “There was a rapid succession of gunfire. Good thing they were shooting away from my room. You know it could’ve been a lot worse.”
Wehrmeister told KOMO News he had just checked out before the shooting on the fifth floor of the hotel, which happened several rooms down from where he had stayed.
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Whitehall police fatally shoots SUV passenger who reached for gun during a traffic stop
Whitehall police officers shot and killed a passenger in an SUV after responding to reports of gunshots in a department store parking lot.
The shooting happened about 2 a.m. near the Roses Discount Store in the 4600 block of East Main Street. The man, whom police described as in his mid-30s, died at the scene. As of Friday morning, police had not released his name.
The two unidentified officers were involved in an unrelated traffic stop when they heard nearby gunfire. A minute later, the department's gunshot detection system alerted the officers to a shooting.
The officers came upon two vehicles in the parking lot. One fled as the officers pulled up, according to Deputy Chief Dan Kelso. A Honda Pilot SUV with two men remained at the scene.
Kelso said the officers noticed guns in the backseat of the SUV, and the officers began giving commands to both men, who didn't speak English. One officer knew enough Spanish to give the commands in that language, Kelso said.
Officers managed to persuade the driver to get out of the car, but Kelso said the passenger turned around and reached into the back seat. That's when both officers opened fire, hitting and killing the man, Kelso said.
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Body camera videos shows Clark County deputies shoot, kill carjacking suspect
Bodycam video worn by Clark County sheriff’s deputies shows the chaotic moments before they shot and killed an armed carjacking suspect inside the American Legion Hall in Hazel Dell last weekend.
The video shows a packed hall on Saturday morning as deputies moved through the room with a K-9, confronting and shooting the suspect, 41-year-old Benjamin Woods, of Prineville, Oregon. He died at the scene.
Deputies later arrested his alleged accomplice, Lyndsey Jones. She appeared in court Monday on a burglary charge.
No one inside the hall was hurt. Neither were the deputies.
Clark County deputies had responded to an armed carjacking at 10:38 a.m. in Hazel Dell. Officials said the victim told deputies that one of the suspects was armed with a handgun.
At around 10:54 a.m., deputies responded to a suspicious circumstance call near the Goodwill in Salmon Creek. Witnesses said a male and female had tried to carjack a vehicle with a person inside. The description of the suspects matched that of the armed suspect from Hazel Dell.
Deputies found the carjacked vehicle behind the American Legion Hall at 14011 N.E. 20th Ave., and while they were discussing what they were going to do next, Woods walked out from behind a shipping container that was in the parking lot.
The video from the deputies’ body cameras shows Woods walking toward deputies. Deputies order him to put his hands up. He complies at first and says he doesn’t want to get bitten by the police dog under the control of one of the deputies.
But then he begins to back away, reaching toward his pockets. The deputies draw their handguns and stun guns.
The deputies yell at him to stop and to get his hands out of his pockets. They chase him into the crowded hall.
Once inside, Woods disappears around a corner and then goes into the men’s bathroom. He stops, however, turns, and points a gun at the deputies, who open fire.
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Austin Police bodycam shows an officer shooting and injuring an armed man inside an apartment
A video released Friday by the Austin Police Department (APD) shows an officer shooting and injuring a man earlier this month.
Officers were called out to the Cliffs at Barton Creek Apartments in southwest Austin on April 6 following reports of a physical disturbance.
Police said when officers knocked on the front door, another officer standing near a sliding glass door by the balcony noticed a man inside approaching the front door with a gun. In the video, an officer is heard screaming the man has a gun before opening fire.
The man suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the shooting and was released from the hospital the following day. KVUE is not identifying the man, since APD said he isn't facing charges at this time.
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Man steals car, rams it into Gwinnett County patrol vehicle
A man was arrested Wednesday after police say he stole a car and rammed it into a patrol vehicle in Gwinnett County.
Kalvin Robinson, 21, faces several charges, including two counts of aggravated assault against a law enforcement officer, felony obstruction, felony fleeing and felony theft by receiving.
At around 6 p.m., officers were called to a strip mall off Lawrenceville Highway in Tucker. They found a bleeding man who said he had been dragged by his car as it was stolen, according to police.
Not long after, officers found the vehicle at a Quality Inn off East Park Place Boulevard in Stone Mountain — along with Robinson. The suspect drove away, kickstarting a chase that ended at a Chevron less than a mile away when he rammed the stolen car into a patrol car, police said.
Bodycam footage shows Robinson running away from police across several lanes of traffic after the impact. K-9s and an aviation unit were called to help find him in a search that would last an hour and a half, police said.
Robinson was eventually found at the same Quality Inn as before, according to police. He had changed his shorts and “hastily tried cutting his hair to alter his appearance,” police said.
The man allegedly resisted arrest and had a gun in his pocket, but he was taken into custody safely, according to police.
Robinson was booked in Gwinnett County Jail, where he faces more charges from separate arrest warrants. Those include theft by deception, second-degree forgery, theft by shoplifting, family violence battery and robbery, police said.
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Dash cam shows 120+ mph police chase end in crash in Liberty Township
Newly released dash camera and body camera footage show Ohio State Highway Patrol units pursuing a reportedly stolen white Hyundai across Warren and Butler Counties before it T-boned a truck at the corner of Millikin Road and State Route 747 in early February.
A police account of the chase in a crash report from the Ohio Department of Public Safety indicated a car driven by 19-year-old Saif Elawady passed an OSHP Trooper at 140 miles an hour south on I-75 around the 35-mile marker.
The trooper caught up with Elawady's car and activated lights and sirens, but Elawady refused to stop and led police to Liberty Township, where he crashed.
More than a month after the crash, copper-filled chunks of plastic and sheered-off metal remain where troopers had to drag him out of his car.
"Get your hands up! Get out!" officers yelled on the body cam footage.
Elawady was charged with failure to comply with a police officer, receiving stolen property, possessing criminal tools, driving under suspicion of or in violation of a license restriction and violation of the speed limit.
He was held at the Warren County Detention Center on a $500,000 bond before meeting that bond.
When reached by phone Tuesday, Elawady said he was on house arrest but declined further comment on the advice of counsel.
The victim in the truck indicated he was recovering, but also declined further comment as litigation is pending.
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Lansing release bodycam of a struggle with suspect, officer resulting both being injured in shooting
Lansing Police has released bodycam video of the officer-involved shooting that injured two officers and the suspect.
The officer-involved shooting happened in the area of W Holmes Road and Pleasant Grove Road at around 11:30 a.m. on April 10. According to police, detectives responded to the 2000 block of W Holmes Road to follow up on a previous crime. Lansing Police Chief Ellery Sosebee said the suspect, 28-year-old Andrial Ched Ortiz, managed to get a hold of a detective’s gun and fired the weapon. The detectives called for backup, and two of the responding officers were shot.
Ortiz was then arrested and transported to a local hospital to treat his gunshot wound. The officers and the suspect received non-life-threatening injuries in the shooting.
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3 jailers watch as officer wrapped chain around detainee’s neck and briefly choked him
A surveillance video showing a jailer wrapping a chain around the neck of an inmate whose attorneys say was briefly choked is part of a civil rights lawsuit filed against three correctional officers this week in federal court in Brunswick, Georgia.
Attorneys for plaintiff Tremar Harris provided CNN with the video from January 2022, which they say they obtained during their investigation.
Harris, a 37-year-old Black man, was a pre-trial detainee in solitary confinement at the Appling County jail two years ago, according to court documents.
The suit alleges Officer William Rentz – who is the defendant in a separate suit – placed “the chain of an unused leg restraint” across Harris’ throat when the inmate was restrained in a chair. Then, Rentz “pulled the chain” against Harris’ throat and “strangled” him for a few seconds before letting go of the chain, according to the lawsuit.
Video of the incident shows the chain around Harris’ neck for about 4 seconds.
Officers Daydan Brannon, Cannon Mcleod and Ansley Fennell failed to intervene or stop Rentz “from engaging in such an awful, unlawful, hateful, and sadistic act,” the lawsuit stated, saying the defendants “had the ability, opportunity, skill and time to prevent and immediately stop Officer Rentz from strangling the Plaintiff” but did nothing on Harris’ behalf.
The lawsuit further contends the observing officers “failed to document the unlawful use of force, report the unlawful use of force, nor did they document or report the statements that Officer Rentz made to the Plaintiff.”
The lawsuit says Harris was deprived of his rights under the Constitution and Georgia’s state laws by the officers. Harris is seeking a jury trial and compensatory and punitive damages.
CNN was unsuccessful in its attempts to reach Brannon, Mcleod and Fennell or their representatives. The Appling County Sheriff has not yet responded to CNN’s question about the employment status of the officers involved or given CNN a statement on the incident.
Rentz, who was terminated, is not named in this lawsuit. Harris and his attorneys filed a lawsuit against Rentz in January.
It alleges Rentz and three other officers entered Harris’ cell and shocked him several times with a so-called “shock shield,” which the lawsuit describes as “an electrified shield design(ed) to deliver an electric shock to those who come into contact (with) it.”
Harris was left in the cell for several hours, according to the lawsuit, before Rentz returned, removed leg shackles from Harris’ ankles, wrapped them around his neck and choked him.
According to the filing, Rentz told Harris he was “gonna put you back in the cotton field with the other boys” while he was “strangling” him.
Harris was emotionally traumatized by the incident and “believed he might die” according to the lawsuit. The filing also says Harris received physical injuries because of the shock shield.
Rentz was charged in March 2023 with violation of oath of office and battery.
The criminal case is pending in Appling County court. Rentz’s criminal attorney, Hugh McCullough, told CNN his client has pleaded not guilty to the charges and said Rentz denies any wrongdoing.
Rentz’s civil attorney, Patrick O’Connor, denied the lawsuit allegations, saying in an email, “Mr. Rentz did not choke Mr. Harris and Mr. Rentz never made the offensive comments falsely attributed to him.”
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'You don't know who I am?' Bodycam released from rapper GloRilla's DUI arrest in metro Atlanta
Body camera footage released on Friday shows police's entire encounter with budding rap star GloRilla earlier this week after she was arrested on DUI and other charges.
The arrest happened on Tuesday night, according to the Suwanee Police Department.
The video shows the responding officer knocking on the door of GloRilla, whose real name is Gloria Woods, and explaining that she was stopped for making a U-Turn in the left lane at a solid red light around 4 a.m.
Woods complied, informing the officer that she was leaving a performance at the Opium nightclub in Midtown.
"But you don't know who I am," Woods said to the officer, adding, "I'm on your TV."
She also tells officers that she is on the way to Waffle House but explains she's accidentally urinated herself.
"I got pee on my hand," Woods said.
After that, Woods tells officers where two guns are in the car and that she had marijuana, but "not enough" to be taken to jail. She then asks the police if she "looks cute in their camera."
The officer then takes Woods through a few sobriety tests where, at one point, her right breast came out of her bikini-styled top.
Police later made Woods remove her jewelry, handcuffed her and put her in the back of their police car. The last thing Woods asks officers is if "I can sue y'all if y'all take me to jail for no reason?"
Woods was taken into custody on the following charges:
* Driving under the influence of alcohol
* Consuming alcoholic beverage or possessing open alcoholic beverage container while in passenger area of a motor vehicle
* Failure to obey traffic control device
The police report said this was at the intersection of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and Suwanee Walk Avenue. Police said Woods' eyes were bloodshot and watery, adding that he could smell marijuana inside the car and alcohol on her breath.
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Bodycam shows driver crashing into Moraine Police cruiser on the interstate
A new video released by the Moraine Police Department shows a car crashing into a parked police cruiser and brings into question the dangers of reckless driving.
Around 2 a.m. on Sunday, a Moraine Police Officer was parked on the side of Northbound I-75 while he was helping someone else on the interstate.
The Officer had parked his cruiser behind an ambulance to protect the vehicle, and when he was walking back to his cruiser, another car crashed into the back of the cruiser.
Captured on both the Officer’s body cam and the cruiser’s dash cam, you can see the officer begin walking back to his cruiser.
The ambulance and the cruiser were in the right lane and the oncoming driver could be seen not attempting to move over or slow down.
The oncoming driver crashed into the back of the police cruiser. No one was injured in the crash.
News Center 7′s Mike Campbell talked to people in the Miami Valley about the dangers officers face on the roadways, many of them believed the blame was on reckless drivers.
“No, I think it’s a lot of distracted driving these days, so, absolutely not,” Shirley Collier, who drives on I-75 every day, said when asked if she felt that people paid attention on the road.
Collier said she knows it is the law to move left anytime you see emergency vehicles parked on the right side of the road, especially on the freeway.
She acknowledges that it isn’t always easy, but it’s still important.
“It’s not [easy] but it not only puts the officer but the person that’s pulled over in danger,” Collier said.
Another driver, Glenn Hofsiss, who moved to Dayton after living in Georgia for 30 years, says that people won’t give emergency vehicles space on the roads.
>> 3 hospitalized after crash on I-75 in Moraine
“No, they won’t yield, they won’t move over,” Hofsiss said.
Hofsiss said Ohio drivers are much more aggressive.
Even though traffic is heavy in Moraine all the time, many people say reckless drivers are the ones that make them want to stay off the freeway.
In the case of the crash involving the cruiser, police said the driver was not only driving recklessly, but they believe he was also under the influence and are moving forward with a DUI investigation.
Drivers say we all have to take safety seriously.
“The roads here are pretty decent, but the drivers are reckless, I don’t understand why,” Hofsiss said.
The suspected OVI driver was not seriously hurt, and neither was the officer, but that’s likely because he was about six steps from getting back in his cruiser to finish a report.
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