Newly emerged video footage shows the violent arrest of a 26-year-old Austin, Texas, teacher last June.
According to the Washington Post, 26-year-old Breaion King was pulled over by Officer Bryan Richter for allegedly going 15 mph over the speed limit. She pulled into a nearby parking lot and emerged from her vehicle—it’s unclear whether she noticed she was being stopped.
Richter orders King to retrieve her license and get back in the car, which she does. However, shortly after, Richter orders King back out of the car before reaching in her door and attempting to grab her. A struggle ensues, ending in Richter violently pulling her from the car and slamming her to the ground while threatening to tase her for failing to comply.
Black Therapist Shot By Miami Police While Trying To Help Autistic Patient
When King attempts to stand back up, Richter puts her in a chokehold, lifts her body and slams her back to the ground. It isn’t until he handcuffs her that another officer appears on the screen.
Once she is placed in the police car, a third officer walks up and tells them that a bystander had filmed the interaction. That footage has not yet been publicized.
Once in the police car, King initiates a conversation with Officer Patrick Spradlin about race relations within the United States.
“Do you still believe that there is racism out there?” she asks. He says yes, but asks whether she believes it goes both ways.
“I do,” she says. “But I believe that, I’m not going to lie. I believe that Caucasians have more supremacy than we do, they have more rights.”
Spradlin soon asks why she believes so many people are afraid of Black people, adding that he blames it on “violent tendencies.”
“But do you ever wonder that you know Black people are the majority of the time on the defense because they feel like they are not safe?”
This Black Female Cop Calling Out Racist & Murderous Police Officers Will Give You Chills
Since video of the arrest has gone viral, the Austin Police Department has dropped the resisting arrest charges against King. At a news conference yesterday afternoon, Police Chief Art Acevedo condemned the arrest, calling it “disturbing.”
“My heart was sickened and saddened when I first learned of this incident,” he said, later issuing a formal apology to King. “…I’ve asked my own people to look at these videos and ask, ‘Am I approaching a 15 mph speeding ticket like that? Is that the way I want my loved one treated?’”
As of now, Richter has only had to undergo counseling and training, while Spradlin was not punished for his comments since video has not been available until recently. Acevedo says department policy forbids him to punish officers for incidents that took place longer than six months prior, though the department is currently investigating the incident.
Watch a video of the violent arrest below.