NYPD officer Kendo Kinsey was caught on video punching 19-year-old girl Tamani Crum to the ground after she pushed him.
According to NBC News, a body camera video showed Kinsey allegedly smacking Crum in the face, which sent her flying to the ground. In the video, released on Sept. 1, she was seen allegedly running up to him and pushing his shoulder. The officer then hit her, causing her to tumble and land on the sidewalk. Afterward, she was lifted up, placed in handcuffs, and later brought to a local hospital at her request.
The entire incident happened on Aug. 30 at West 136th St. in Harlem. At the time, police were reportedly trying to arrest a man–identified as Elvin James–allegedly in connection with attempted murder. The New York Police Department said during the arrest, “multiple individuals” had “interfered by physically assaulting numerous officers” at the scene. One officer even reportedly sustained a minor injury to the head.
As for Crum, she was charged with assault on a police officer, resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration, police said. In a statement, Sewell announced that Kinsey and the incident are currently under “ongoing review” by the Internal Affairs Bureau’s Force Group.
Kinsey has reportedly had six complaints against him over the past ten years, per the Civilian Complaint Review Board– a site that investigates citizen police misconduct allegations. However, none of the complaints have been confirmed.
“This has to stop, and we are seeking full accountability in this action,” Crum’s lawyer, Jamie Santana Jr., told NBC News.
Crum’s mother commented on the matter, saying she was “blown away” after seeing what happened to her daughter.
“I get blown away to see this happen to my daughter. It’s so painful for a mother to see that,” the woman, who did not share her name, told the station. “They are just violating these kids’ rights. It’s not right.”
The young woman was scheduled to appear in Manhattan Criminal Court on Oct. 11.
