A police officer is on leave due to death threats after a viral cellphone video taken at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., captured him physically struggling with a Black student who claimed he was being choked during an arrest officials said.
The officer involved in the Feb. 4 incident was identified as Jon Selke, the Journal & Courier reported.
In a statement on Thursday, the university said Purdue University Police Chief John Cox placed the officer on leave after his life was threatened, NBC News reported.
“Cox initiated the leave of absence after the officer and department received death threats. PUPD is investigating the threats,” the statement said.
The department is investigating the arrest after someone reported a suspected assault on a woman, police said.
The viral one-minute video was posted on Instagram by 24-year-old Adonis Tuggle, who Selke repeatedly punched as he pushed his head into the snow.
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Tuggle’s girlfriend reportedly filmed the altercation between him and the officer.
“Stop! You’re hurting me! You’ve been disrespectful the whole time, bro! You’re choking me!” the 24-year-old said in the clip.
The woman yelled for Selke to remove his hand from around Tuggle’s neck after he shouted, “You’re choking me.”
The university officer called for backup to defuse the situation in the video. When the woman reached out and touched Selk while recording the incident, he ordered her to step back or he would tase her.
When officers arrived at the scene, the woman could be heard saying, “Please help. This officer won’t get off his neck. He has taken it too far.”
Purdue police Capt. Song Kang said officers were called to the scene at around 8:22 p.m. on Feb. 4 by an anonymous caller.
Kang said the caller informed Purdue police that the woman was being held against her will near Horticulture Drive, J&C reported.
After Selk arrived at the scene, he allegedly separated Tuggle and the woman. The 24-year-old junior student refused to cooperate with Selke’s requests, which led to the officer restraining and arresting Tuggle.
Tuggle was booked into the Tippecanoe County Jail on Friday at around 9:23 p.m. on suspicion of resisting law enforcement.
Cox said in a statement, “Purdue University police became aware Friday night (Feb. 4) of an incident that occurred that evening involving a Purdue police officer who responded to an urgent call from a third party following our “see something, say something” campus safety guidance.”
“Any time a PUPD officer uses force in connection with an arrest, the department conducts an internal review. PUPD commenced that review, led by Deputy Chief Lesley Wiete, immediately upon receiving the officer’s report on Friday night, Cox wrote.
He added, “That investigation will, under PUPD General Orders, include input from all witnesses to the arrest and take into account all available evidence, including video from officers’ body-worn cameras and statements from the students involved.”
“No physical injuries were suffered in the incident,” the chief noted.
“Purdue police take incidents such as this seriously. The video from body-worn cameras will be made available, as will all findings and evidence from the internal review when complete.”
On Thursday, The Purdue Graduate Student Government organization expressed their support of Tuggle, saying, “We condemn all police violence that disproportionately harms Black communities.”
“WE STAND WITH ADONIS TUGGLE,” the statement continued. “We open our arms in solidarity with our fellow Boilermaker and vow to increase awareness around this incident, advocate, and provide help and support.”
The Indiana State Police is conducting an independent review of the probe, police said.
