Video circulating online appears to show officers in Delaware punching a woman who was pulled over during a traffic stop. Police released officers’ body camera footage to show more of what happened. NBC10 Delaware Bureau reporter Tim Furlong has more.
Amid an investigation into a New Castle County, Delaware, traffic stop where police can be seen struggling to pull a woman out of a car to arrest her on the ground, police have released police-worn body camera footage of the arrest.
The incident happened around 2:15 p.m. on Saturday, June 29, 2024, after the driver -- who is not identified by police -- pulled over in the parking lot of a Royal Farms off Pulaski Highway in Bear, county police said.
Police said in a Thursday, July 4, 2024, news release that "an officer with the New Castle County Division of Police was traveling in the area of Walther Road and Pulaski Highway when he observed a car commit several traffic violations."
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"The officer was also able to confirm that the car's registration was suspended without insurance and observed an old bullet hole in the driver's side door that had police evidence markings on it," investigators said.
The officer turned on the car's lights and followed the driver along Pulaski Highway before the driver pulled into the Royal Farms and backed into a spot, police said.
The video -- which was posted to YouTube that police are now using in the investigation -- begins with an explainer about the video then reveals police radio transmissions talking about "an uncooperative driver."
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Warning: The video contains images of violence and many instances of profanity by both the woman being arrested and the police officers putting her under arrest.
The first images from the first police officer's bodycam shows the officer behind the wheel following the car.
The body-camera footage then shows as the officer approaches the car while telling the woman to "step out of the car" and a conversation between the officer and the driver where she asks why she was pulled over.
The woman tries to no avail to have Siri call her attorney while the car door is open.
"I'm not going to do anything to hurt you so calm down," the woman says.
"When my backup officer gets here I'm gonna pull you out and put you in handcuffs," the officer says.
They continue to go back and forth about both how and why the woman would be arrested as she question if the bodycam of the main officer is actually on.
The woman refuses to step out of the car as the officer and her continue to have a back-and-forth
After a few minutes, other police officers arrived on the scene, sirens blaring.
Once backup arrives, the officer tells the woman he will take her out of the car.
A scuffle then ensues as the officers tell the woman to get on the ground.
"I'm gonna punch you in your face" can be heard from a man's voice during the struggle.
Once on the ground, one of the officers claims the woman grabbed his foot.
"Get off his foot now," another officer can be heard yelling.
"It's all on camera ma'am, we're all on camera," a female police officer can be heard saying during the struggle to handcuff the woman.
"It didn't have to be like this," an officer says as several officers continue to struggle to cuff the woman.
The woman and officers continue to shout at each other even after the woman is cuffed.
Police try to get the woman to stay on her side, so she can breath," a female officer says.
The woman's knee and elbow can be seen skinned after she is rolled over after being cuffed. At least four officers can be seen before the woman is led away to a waiting police car.
The woman continues to resist police while being searched by a police officer before being put into the car.
The video then includes stills where the woman grabbing at police officers are circled.
The second bodycam shows an officer get out of a police car and putting on gloves while approaching the initial police officer and the car.
As the struggle happens one of the officers appears to be making several punching motions.
The second camera angle also appears to show more police officers at the scene.
The third bodycam angle shows the perspective of an officer in a passenger seat who arrives at the scene after the car was stopped. This angle also shows the struggle to get the woman under control.
Police officer's faces are blurred in the third video, but the woman's face continues to be unedited.
"Punch me in my face again so I can get it on camera" the woman says while on the ground.
At least one officer can be heard breathing heavily as they get the woman in the car.
The fourth bodycam angle shows an officer driving up to the Royal Farms and appearing to run toward the melee with the woman already on the ground. It quickly turns to the "get off his foot now" scuffle.
It also gives another perspective of the search where the woman being arrested questions being search in her crotch area and around her breasts.
New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer released a statement on social media on July 1 that promised to release the bodycam video.
“We are aware of the recent video recording circulating on social media regarding a New Castle County Police use of force in a parking lot on Route 40," Meyer said. "Our County Police have an obligation to serve and protect communities in a manner that first preserves the health and safety of all residents. And we have an obligation to do so equally across all communities in our county."
"In addition, in collaboration with the New Castle County Police Accountability Board, we will be conducting a review of all policies, training and practices with regard to de-escalation and cultural competency," Meyer said.
The exact charges the woman faces aren't clear. An attorney representing her couldn't be reached Friday.
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