Louisville, KY — A violent arrest of a Black man has put the Louisville police under fire and has sparked protest against police brutality once again. A disturbing video of the arrest that recently surfaced on social media shows police officers beating up a Black driver who had to wear neck braces upon being booked to jail.
In the video uploaded by Tonniqua Wales, who witnessed the incident, three police officers could be seen pulling Ransom out of his car and slamming him to the ground. One of the officers is getting him handcuffed while they repeatedly punched him, causing his left eye to be swollen shut and bloodied.
In another video, Ransom, who was then already handcuffed, tried to run and escape. The officers then forced him on the ground again with one of them pressing a knee in his chest.
Alicia Brown, another witness who posted a video of the incident on Facebook, said in the video that Ransom refused to get out of his car. The police took his soda and poured it on his lap. That appeared to be the cause of the chaos.
However, according to the arrest citation, Ransom allegedly lunged after an officer poured the soda out of the can. Police officers searched his vehicle because Ransom acted “suspicious.” They reportedly found three pills inside the can of soda that was poured out.
After the video circulated on social media, Louisville Metro Police launched an investigation about the incident that happened at the Kroger supermarket gas station last Sunday.
“LMPD is aware of the incident on Broadway this afternoon. We are in the process of collecting all body camera footage available from officers who were present. We have already begun a review of the incident, as we do in every case where force is used by officers,” a police spokesman said.
Meanwhile, Ransom was booked in Metro Corrections while wearing a neck brace. It wasn’t clear what exactly his injuries are and if he was treated in a hospital. He was charged with possessing a controlled substance, tampering with physical evidence, resisting arrest, excessive window tinting, and failure to wear a seat belt. He was released on Monday after paying his $1,000 bond.
The incident has sparked a small protest at the place where the incident happened on Monday. Community activist Neal Robertson, who joined the protest, said that any reason that may have led to the officer’s actions are still “irrelevant.”
“You are an officer,” Robertson told WAVE 3. “We pay you to take care of us.”
Watch the live footage below: