Following footage of three Arkansas police officers violently striking a man during an arrest on Sunday (August 21), all three officers have been suspended.
The video — captured by a bystander at a Crawford County convenience store — shows two deputies with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office and an officer with the Mulberry Police Department kneeing and punching a man and slamming his face into the pavement during an arrest.
The 34-second clip doesn’t reveal the reason for the arrest and only shows law enforcement striking the man while he remained uncuffed.
On Sunday, hours after the footage started circulating, the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a Facebook post that the Arkansas State Police would be investigating the incident.
The post read, “In reference to the video circulating social media involving two Crawford County Deputies, we have requested that Arkansas State Police conduct the investigation and the Deputies have been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation. I hold all my employees accountable for their actions and will take appropriate measures in this matter.”
The Mulberry Police Department officer was also placed on leave pending the outcome of the investigation, according to reporting by the Associated Press.
Shannon Gregory, Mulberry Police Chief, relayed to the AP: “The city of Mulberry and the Mulberry Police Department takes these investigations very seriously.”
According to a statement by Arkansas State Police, the man in the video is 27-year-old Randall Worcester of Goose Creek, South Carolina. Worcester was taken to the hospital for an examination and treatment, later being transferred to jail.
Worcester is facing eight charges, including resisting arrest, criminal trespass, and terroristic threatening.
WATCH:
Arkansas cop seen kneeing, face punching then grabbing hair of person & smashing person’s head into cement
From @MitchellMcCoy: Arkansas State Police launch investigation into this incident, captured on camera, outside a convenience store in Crawford Co. pic.twitter.com/UrZU2dq3PN— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) August 21, 2022
