A video posted online this week appeared to show police in Michigan beating a handcuffed man and forbidding him from calling for Jesus, The Detroit News reported.
The video, uploaded on Monday to Facebook by user Emma Craig, allegedly showed two officers punching and kicking a man in handcuffs who was already on the ground, the newspaper reported.
Near the beginning of the nine-and-a-half-minute video, an officer could be heard shouting at the handcuffed man.
“What’d you say?” the officer said. “Jesus? You’re calling Jesus? You fucker! Don’t you dare. Don’t you fucking dare!”
The officers could then be heard congratulating each other and saying “good job, man.” One of the officers could also be heard using the word “bitch.”
As the video progressed, a female officer approached the handcuffed man and while waiting with the male officers could be heard lauding their actions.
“That’s a justified ass-whooping,” the female officer could be heard saying.
The incident was being investigated by Grosse Pointe Park police, but the officers involved belong to a task force comprised of officers from multiple jurisdictions, the newspaper reported. Initial findings in the investigation reportedly showed the officers’ actions were warranted.
“We’re looking at it, and we believe the officers actions were proper,” Grosse Pointe Park Police Chief David Hiller told the paper on Tuesday. “In effecting the arrest, they had to kick to get his arms free because he was going for his gun, which was in his waistband.”
Hiller said the handcuffed man had broken parole and was wanted for an armed robbery. He also said the suspect had not fired at police.
Warning: The video below is graphic and disturbing.
