Four Philadelphia Police officers are on desk duty as the department investigates a violent arrest caught on cell phone video.
It happened Monday night on the 1600 block of Ruan Street in Kensington. NBC10 received a copy of the video. It first shows two officers struggling with Marcus Warryton, 18, of Kensington. Two more officers then join in to help the other two and they wrestle Warryton to the ground. One officer then strikes Warryton repeatedly with a baton. Another officer holds him down with his foot as Warryton bleeds heavily.
Investigators say a traffic stop is what led to the arrest. Warryton was behind the wheel of a damaged car leaking fluid with the air bags deployed, according to investigators. A police spokesman says Warryton got out of the car and tried to walk away, ignoring police orders to stop.
"I think the video clearly shows he was resisting arrest," said Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey.
Commissioner Ramsey claims he's reviewed two different cell phone videos of the incident.
"Our officers have the ability and the right to use force to overcome that," said Commissioner Ramsey. "The question is always how much is too much."
Warryton's family says he is still in jail and being held on $150,000 bail. They also claim Warryton was beaten to the point where he now has staples in his head.
"He walked away from this event with staples in his head along with other injuries,' said Warryton's brother, Anthony Singleton.
Warryton is charged with assault, resisting arrest and other related offenses. His attorney told NBC10 he is filing a bail motion to try and get him released.
The four officers have been taken off street duty as internal affairs continue to investigate the incident, according to police.
