A New York man says multiple police officers beat and pepper-sprayed him for no reason other than that he asked a question – and video footage seems to back him up. News of the beating comes as police unveil new training methods to limit undue force.
The incident occurred about three weeks ago, on August 18, when 23-year-old Santiago Hernandez said police in the Bronx asked to search him as they looked into a local noise complaint. When that search failed to turn up any incriminating evidence, Santiago said he asked the officers why they had conducted a search on him, and that’s when the situation escalated.
In video footage obtained by local ABC 7 News, Hernandez is seen cooperating with New York Police Department (NYPD) officers as the search is conducted. A female officer then attempts to place the young man in handcuffs – which Hernandez says happened after he asked her why he was searched.
“I’m like, ‘Miss, what you doing? You’re hurting my arm,’” he recalled to the local ABC affiliate. “She just was telling me to put my hands behind my back, I’m like, ‘I’m trying to understand what you’re arresting me for. Can you please tell me?’”
staff