A video showing a man being grabbed by the throat and arrested by a Clayton County police officer has gone viral on social media. The incident occurred on Dec. 15, 2023, when the police were investigating a case of vandalism involving a car parked behind a house.
Police say the man was obstructing their investigation
According to the Clayton County Police Department, the officers were responding to a call from a woman who reported that her vehicle had been damaged by another woman and several people who came to her home. The police located the suspect vehicle behind a nearby house and tried to question the occupants of the house about it.
However, the man and the woman who came out of the house refused to identify themselves or provide any information to the officers. The police said that they repeatedly warned them that they could be charged with obstruction for not cooperating with their investigation.
Video shows the officer grabbing the man by the neck
The video, which was posted by We The People University and Florida Produxtioz on YouTube, shows the man trying to enter the house after telling the officers that the car was not his. The officer then tells him that if he steps into the house, he will drag him out and put him in handcuffs.
The man then punches the code to open the door and the officer grabs him by the neck and pulls him back. A struggle ensues as other officers join in to subdue the man and take him to the ground. The man resists the officers’ commands and appears to have blood on his head from hitting the door.
The video has been viewed more than 280,000 times and has sparked outrage and criticism from some viewers who accused the officer of using excessive force and violating the man’s rights.
Police defend the officer’s actions and release body camera footage
The Clayton County Police Department held a press conference on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, to address the allegations against the officer. They said that they believe that the officer acted within the department’s policy and that the use of force was justified.
They also released the body camera footage of the officer who grabbed the man, which shows the entire interaction from the beginning. The footage shows that the officer was polite and professional throughout the encounter and that he explained the reason for his presence and his questions.
The police said that the man was arrested for obstruction and that the investigation into the vandalism case is ongoing. They also said that they welcome any feedback from the public and that they are committed to transparency and accountability.
Man speaks out and says he plans to move away from Clayton County
The man who was arrested, identified as Eugene Johnson, spoke exclusively to 11Alive News and said that he was traumatized by the incident. He said that he was at his friend’s house for a housewarming party and that he had nothing to do with the car or the vandalism.
He said that he did not give his name to the officer because he did not want to get involved in something that he was not a part of. He also said that he had permission to be in the house and that a female officer told him that he could go in.
He said that he felt violated and disrespected by the officer who grabbed him by the neck and that he plans to move away from Clayton County as soon as possible. He said that he is considering taking legal action against the police department and that he wants justice for what happened to him.
