- Two teens fight in a New Jersey mall has been viralized.
- Officers who broke up the fight were captured handcuffing the Black teenager and placing him in a chokehold, while the white teenager was seated on a nearby couch.
- An investigation into the actions taken by the police officer has been initiated.
A video of police officers breaking up a fight at a New Jersey mall has sparked anger over accusations that law enforcement treated the two teenagers involved in the scuffle — one Black, and one white — very differently.
The fight at Bridgewater Commons mall, Bridgewater Township, New Jersey is captured in a viral video.
“Get your hand off my face,” said the Black teen.
The teens start shoving one another, and then a fight breaks out. During the fight, the Black teen is thrown onto the floor by the White teen. Two police officers — one male and one female — then arrive.
The female officer pushes him onto a nearby couch, motioning for him to remain there. The male officer approaches the Black teen, putting him on the floor and handcuffing his hands. Meanwhile, the female officers kneels on the back of the teen to keep him on the ground.
“It’s because he’s Black. The video’s background shows a witness claiming that he was racist.
The officers then handcuff the Black teenager while the white teen stands over him. The Black teen is then taken to his feet and the officers handcuff him.
According to ABC 7 local affiliate, the fight involved a Black eighth-grader named Kye and a White high schooler whose identity has not been released.
Kye said that they basically brought me down to the ground and then the male officers put his knee in mine back. Then he began putting me in cuffs.” Kye explained to ABC 7. “The female officer then came over and placed her knee on my back and began helping him to put cuffs on it while I was still on the ground,” Kye said to ABC 7. [the other teen]It was simply sitting on the sofa, watching the whole thing.”
Kye’s mother, Eboné, told ABC 7 that she was grateful that her son was OK but wanted the two police officers fired.
“I had no choice but to watch it on mute. “I haven’t seen it yet and I haven’t listened the sound to it. I’m baby-stepping my path into it, but it is just crazy,” she stated.
It doesn’t take more than two cops to keep a 14-year old boy under control who isn’t resisting the pull, while the other boy is free and going after my son. It just doesn’t make sense,” Eboné told NBC in an interview on Tuesday.
According to a Wednesday letter from Matthew Moench, the Bridgewater Township Mayor on Wednesday, an investigation was launched into the incident.
“The Township Administration is aware that a video has been circulated on social media and involves some young people as well as officers from the Bridgewater Police Department,” Moench wrote. He also added that the local prosecutor’s Office would be conducting an “independent investigation” of the incident with support from the police department.
“Although an inquiry is still gathering the facts, I am deeply disturbed by what appears like racially disparate treat in this video,” New Jersey Governor. Phil Murphy wrote in a tweetWednesday “We are committed in increasing trust between law enforcement agencies and the people they serve.”
Bridgewater Township Police Department stated that it was aware of the incident via a Tuesday Facebook post.
According to the police department’s statement, “We acknowledge that this video has caused members of our community to be upset and are calling on an internal affairs investigation.”
Insider reached out to the Bridgewater Township Police Department for clarification but they did not immediately reply.
