A man alleging to be a Chicago police officer has been caught on camera pinning a young teen to the ground with his knee, leading to a plethora of questions and concerns over the situation.
In a short video that has since begun circulating on social media, an unidentified white man — said to be an off-duty cop — is seen pinning a young teenage boy, who is Puerto Rican, onto the ground.
The adult notably has his knee on the teen’s back and — despite other teens’ pleas for him to “get off” — tries refusing to let the 14-year-old go, alleging that he is an off-duty officer.
White, off duty, Chicago cop pins 14-year-old Puerto Rican boy to the ground with his knee at a @Starbucks He accused the boy of stealing his son’s bike. Fortunately the boy’s friends helped him. The man should be charged & arrested! #Chicago #chicagopd #starbucks #parkridge pic.twitter.com/r9VLUi4bFI
— TED WINN (@officialtedwinn) July 3, 2022
The unidentified man can also be heard hurling accusations that the 14-year-old stole his child’s bike, though numerous bystanders notably refute this unsubstantiated claim.
Shortly after that, the video ended, and it swiftly started making rounds online.
Over the weekend, the teen’s parents — Nicole and Angel Nieves — blasted the matter online.
“This adult did not use words — he used force; he used his hands. Grabbed our son’s wrists, body-slammed him, then held him down with his knee to forcibly restrain him,” they wrote. “Regardless of the circumstances, getting physical with a minor as an adult for any reason other than self-defense is unacceptable.”
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The parents noted that they believe their son was racially profiled.
“We’ve talked to our 3 Puerto Rican boys about this moment for years… We can’t possibly put into words how we’re feeling — disgust, anger, frustration, outrage, fear, sadness,” the parents continued. “We will not let this go away quietly.”
Time to end the act of kneeling on a person.
Idc why they are saying they need this power, they are misusing it & they are killing people. Kids. Adults.
Just not white people. It’s absolutely repugnant. This time the child lived, next time-they may not. https://t.co/D6EOjSPxTc— 💋Political_Sass💋 (@leanne_cali) July 5, 2022
The family also notes that they’re hoping to further speak out about the ordeal, though they’re first seeking legal counsel.
Who is this grown ass man who slammed a teenager down on the ground.
The police knows his name and should release it.
He should be fired, locked up and sued by the young man’s parents.
Are they protecting him? #ParkRidge#ParkRidgePolice#Starbucks#tackledfornotbeingwhite pic.twitter.com/gaGn8F9qDy— ClaireQuimbly (@claire_quimbly) July 3, 2022
In a statement on the situation, Chicago authorities note that “an internal investigation has been opened into this incident.” Further details, including the identity of the “off-duty” officer, remain unclear.
