A video circulating on social media of a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputy in a physical struggle with a teenage boy, repeatedly punching him in the head before cuffing him has many residents rattled.
The April 9 incident unfolded just after 4 p.m. in the 10100 block of Third Avenue, about a mile and a half west of Hesperia Junior High School in Hesperia.
In a news release, sheriff’s officials stated that a deputy had been sent to the area to investigate a report of a student who brought a gun to school. At the location, SBSD said that a 14-year-old male walked away when the deputy asked to talk to a group of subjects alleged to have a firearm.
“When the deputy attempted to detain him, he physically assaulted the deputy, which led to a brief struggle and use of force occurred,” sheriff’s officials stated.
In footage of the incident posted to Instagram, the deputy is seen pulling the teen toward him, quickly moving behind the boy and taking him to the ground. The deputy puts his left hand on the boy’s face, trying, it appears, to keep him still.
The 14-year-old is struggling when the deputy lands four violent punches to the boy’s head and one to his stomach, all while shouting, “Put your f***ing hands behind your back!”
As the deputy’s blows land, the teen is heard whimpering while onlookers protest the beating.
The teen is then rolled onto his stomach and cuffed.
Moments before the video ends, the deputy, who has not been identified, is seen picking up a green handled knife from the ground. It’s unclear who the knife belonged to and there is no mention of the weapon in the account of the incident provided by the sheriff’s department or if it was collected as evidence.
Officials did say that no gun was recovered during the investigation.
Responses to the beating, according to reporting by the Victor Valley News Group, have varied, with some on social media saying the teen escalated the situation and others expressing dismay at the intensity of force used on the boy.
The teen was taken into custody, arrested and booked at the Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center and booked for resisting an officer, the release stated.
KTLA has reached out to the person who shot the video and is awaiting a response.
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