Video of Austin Jaywalking Arrest Fuels Accusations of Police Brutality
AUSTIN — A case of jaywalking turns nasty as Austin PD tackles a San Antonio man, punching and kicking him to the ground.
Cameras roll as he and his friends yell for officers to let up.
The video, which was posted to Facebook and YouTube, shows seven bicycle police officers arresting three people on the sidewalk along 6th street in Austin.
One of those arrested, 22-year-old Jeremy King, had come up from San Antonio to enjoy a music festival.
His mother, Nevetta King, says she learned of the incident shortly after it happened, around 3:00am. She says when she saw the video, her heart dropped.
“One of the most difficult things I’ve had to watch,” said King. “I kept watching trying to look for fault on his part, I didn’t see any.”
The video doesn’t show what happened before the officers began apprehending Jeremy and his friends.
Jeremy says they had crossed the street before being given a walk signal. When the cops approached, he says he and his friends made the mistake of uttering something rude under their breath.
Video shows cops punching accused jaywalkers
Austin police declined to discuss the details of the arrest, but released a statement saying they are currently investigating.
“As is standard protocol, the Chain of Command will review the Response to Resistance and the incident to determine what led up to the events captured in the video and whether the officer’s actions were in compliance with APD policy.”
Nevetta says wants to see what happens with the investigation, but at this point can’t see any justification for the manner of the arrest.
She says she’s proud of Jeremy for containing his temper during the scuffle, and hopes the video raises awareness as accusations of police brutality ring out around the country.
“Just comply, quickly, so you do not become a statistic,” said King.
More than anything, though, she says she just wants to be there for her son.
“I want to hug my son and support him through this,” said King.
