The officer was responding to a battle between two center faculty college students.
The daddy of a 12-year-old lady referred to as for prices to be filed in opposition to an off-duty police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin, who appeared to kneel on his daughter’s neck whereas making an attempt to cease a battle.
“She’s humiliated, she’s traumatized. Day-after-day I gotta hear, ‘Daddy, I do not wanna go to highschool,'” the daddy, Jerrel Perez, stated throughout a press convention in Kenosha Wednesday.
“It breaks me as a result of I wasn’t there to assist her,” he added. “I felt helpless.”
Movies of the incident, which happened at Lincoln Center College in Kenosha on March 4, had been captured by college students and went viral.
Perez stated that after the incident happened, he thought that his daughter was making an attempt to get out of her punishment when she complained about ache in her neck, however stated that hours later he watched the video.
“I need to see this officer get charged,” Perez stated, including that his daughter is in remedy and seeing a physician attributable to a neck harm.
The Kenosha Police Division and the Kenosha Unified College District introduced earlier this month that they’ve launched an investigation into the incident.
A video taken by one of many college students on the faculty was obtained by ABC Information and reveals the officer responding to a reported battle between two college students.
The 12-year-old lady, who’s within the sixth grade, seems to push the officer after which he pins her to the bottom and seems to kneel on her neck, based on the video. It’s unclear what occurred earlier than or after.
The Kenosha Police Division launched an announcement on March 7 addressing the incident.
In accordance with KPD, after a battle broke out between two college students within the cafeteria throughout lunch, Kenosha Unified College District workers, together with the off-duty officer, intervened and one employees member was injured.
“Ok.P.D. has watched the video clip and has seen the photograph which has been extensively shared on social media over the weekend. We’re keenly conscious of the numerous sensitivity surrounding the photograph. Ok.P.D., along with Ok.U.S.D. is investigating the incident in its entirety whereas being cautious to not make conclusions primarily based off of a small piece of knowledge shared on social media,” police stated. “Each businesses will look to our respective insurance policies and procedures for steerage on this circumstance. It’s the highest precedence of these officers who work in our colleges to supply a protected and safe studying setting for our youngsters and employees.”
The officer is a 37-year-old male with 4 years of service at KPD, police stated, however when requested by ABC Information whether or not the officer’s id will probably be revealed, a KPD spokesman declined to remark.
Tanya Ruder, chief communications officer for the Kenosha Unified College District, informed ABC Information on March 8 that the officer is a “part-time KUSD worker, who was employed as an off-duty Kenosha police officer,” and is “presently on a paid depart from the district.”
“We recognize your persistence as we work with the Kenosha Police Division to research the details surrounding this incident,” she added.
Police didn’t instantly reply to a request for updates on the investigation.
Household lawyer Drew DeVinney stated throughout the press convention Wednesday that the household goes to take authorized motion in opposition to police and the varsity quickly.
DeVinney disputed the allegation that the lady pushed the officer and stated that she was charged with “disorderly conduct.”
Requested if the lady is dealing with any prices, police declined to remark.
Perez expressed outrage over the police officer’s techniques, evaluating the picture to George Floyd — the Minnesota man who was killed in Might 2020 after a police officer positioned a knee on his neck for 9 minutes.
Amid a nationwide push for police reform after Floyd’s dying, Wisconsin banned the usage of police chokeholds in June 2021 besides in life-threatening conditions or when a police officer has to defend themselves. Chokeholds embrace varied neck restraints.
DeVinney stated Wednesday that the police and the varsity have refused to share video captured on safety cameras of the incident with the household.
Ruder informed ABC Information final week that they can not launch the footage as this can be a pending investigation.
ABC Information’ Keara Shannon contributed to this report.