The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office is opening an investigation after a news video showed a suspect being beaten by deputies while on the ground. The suspect had fled on car, foot and horseback after deputies attempted to serve a search warrant on him.
San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon called the video surrounding Thursday's arrest "disturbing."
Raw video of the incident:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KIKUEjn3Z0
The incident started, reports NBC4, after deputies went to a home in Apple Valley to serve the warrant, related to an identity theft investigation. The suspect, Francis Pusok, 30, fled in a vehicle through unincorporated areas and the town of Apple Valley. He then allegedly abandoned the vehicle "40 miles away from Hesperia in a place called Bowen Ranch," NBC said. He then took off on foot and eventually stole the horse, according to police.
The L.A. Times reports the chase took three hours. When deputies finally caught up to Pusok, they immobilized him with a stun gun and beat him.
The Times also reported that 10 deputies have been placed on administrative leave and that the FBI has opened a civil rights investigation into the incident.
From NBC4:
The group surrounding the man grew to 11 sheriff's deputies.
In the two minutes after the man was stunned with a Taser, it appeared deputies kicked him 17 times, punched him 37 times and struck him with batons four times. Thirteen blows appeared to be to the head. The horse stood idly nearby.
The man did not appear to move from his position lying on the ground for more than 45 minutes. He did not appear to receive medical attention while deputies stood around him during that time.
A sheriff's spokesperson told NBC that the suspect did not appear to have a weapon. The only word on his condition so far is that his injuries are not life-threatening. Pusack's mother called the incident "brutality." His girlfriend -- the mother of his three children, NBC says -- complained that the sheriff's department has given her little information on his condition.
The ACLU applauded Sheriff McMahon for opening an investigation but said, "We believe more is needed. Too often the department has failed to address questions ... about use of force."
Meanwhile, the sheriff's statement said two deputies suffered dehydration, a third was kicked by the horse, and all three were taken to the hospital for treatment.
The L.A. Times interviewed former Los Angeles police Capt. Greg Meyer, an expert on police use of force, who said the video was "highly concerning."
"(Pusack had)obviously surrendered, followed commands to keep his hands behind his back -- that would be the time for the deputies to drop the knees on him and get him handcuffed,” Meyer said. “But it didn’t happen, and they will have to answer for the force they used on him.”