In the video, which a passerby filmed, officers are seen kicking the man as he was face down and lying on the ground before being fully handcuffed.
PHOENIX — Two Phoenix police officers have been placed on administrative leave after kicking and punching a man they arrested last week.
The incident happened last Thursday. Officers were leaving a convenience store near 59th Avenue and Buckeye Road just before midnight when a grown man, identified as Harry Denman, began talking to them.
Police said officers told Denman they were on the phone and needed to leave. Officers were exiting the parking lot when police say Denman pulled out a handgun and fired twice at the officers’ cruiser. Police say one bullet hit the ground and the second hit the patrol car’s headlight and entered the driver’s side.
Police say Denman then rushed to a nearby convenience store and officers followed him inside. Once inside, police said officers had a physical confrontation with Denman before taking him into custody.
In the video, which a bystander caught, officers are seen kicking Denman as he was face down and lying on the ground before being fully handcuffed. One officer is seen ramming the barrel of his rifle into Denman’s shoulder, and the other officer hits Denman’s ear or shoulder with the barrel of his pistol. In the video, Denman appears not to squirm or resist.
Denman was injured and was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment before being jailed, police said. Both officers are unharmed.
Police said a video of officers taking the man into custody came to the attention of the department on Friday, prompting an immediate investigation.
**Warning: graphic video. Discretion of video is advised**
Chief Michael Sullivan has placed the two officers involved on leave. He also opened a criminal investigation and an administrative inquiry into their actions.
“On Friday during my swearing in, I challenged my staff to guide our department to self-assess and correct itself and never ignore wrongdoing. As soon as additional information regarding this incident were brought to my attention, immediate action was taken,” Chief Sullivan said. “What is depicted in the video is not how we train and is not aligned with the core values from the Phoenix Police Department.”
Chief Sullivan said he is committed to holding officers and any other employees who break the law or policy accountable for their behavior.
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