The Clayton County Police Department in Georgia is responding to the backlash it has received for a viral video of one of its officers appearing to hold five Black teens at gunpoint.
In the video, you could hear neighbors yelling at the officer to put the gun down and asking the officer why he has his gun out as he deals with the teens. It also appeared that the officer stopped the boys for taking a shortcut through some grass and witnesses clearly felt the boys did nothing to warrant that response from the officer.
The Clayton County Police Department heard the complaints and took to Facebook today to respond to the controversial video, noting that the department’s leadership is “aware of the incident and the video that is on social media involving what appears to be young teenagers.”
The department also claims that what everyone is seeing is “a small portion of the entire incident” and it will release the body-worn camera footage as well as the incident report and the initial 911 call.
Thankfully, the incident didn’t have fatal results but that was certainly the fear of the bystanders who pleaded with the officers to let the teens go.
The department received further flack for its response on its Facebook page and it is clear that people expect their law enforcement officials to take action on the matter.
“That video made me sick to my stomach. If an officer stopped my 16 year old son for walking with his friends and held him at gunpoint, you’d better believe that I would raise hell!!!” one person wrote. “Stop this craziness. Those boys did not pose a threat and there was no reason for a gun to be pointed at them at any time. These are the issues that have to change.”
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