The student who was slammed to the ground by a police officer in a North Carolina high school Tuesday was trying to break up a fight, says the 15-year-old who recorded the now-viral video of the incident.
The video shows Ruben De Los Santos, a resource officer at Rolesville High School, lifting the victim and throwing her onto the floor.
THIS. IS. NOT OKAY. #rolesvillehigh pic.twitter.com/lHMhUZxqAR
— Ahunna (@ahunnaaa_) January 3, 2017
The office said he was responding to a fight that broke out between two female students in the cafeteria. But Ahunna Akpuda says that the victim was trying to stop a fight that involved her sister, according to ABC News.
“The girl in the pink was trying to defend her sister who was fighting another girl. Then the cop came outta nowhere,” Akpuda tweeted alongside the video.
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“He drags her farther away from the actual fight after it was broken up. That’s when he proceeds to lift her up and slam her down to the ground.”
The victim sustained a concussion, according to her mother, who believes too much force was used.
“We will work diligently to review any and all pertinent information so that we provide an accurate account of the events,” Rolesville Police Chief Bobby Langston said in a statement.
“We ask the community and all members involved to be patient while we investigate this matter.”