A Florida police officer was placed on leave after a video of a Black teenager being assaulted during an arrest went viral.
The incident occurred on April 11 after Broward County sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call about teenagers gathering to fight in front of a McDonald's in Tamarac, Florida, reports BuzzFeed News.
Deputies Christopher Krickovich and Greg LaCerra arrived after the fight and reportedly tried to get the teens to disperse. According to an affidavit, they recognized a teen who had been involved in an incident the day before and was barred from visiting the restaurant.
“While I was dealing with the male on the ground, I observed his phone slide to the right of me and then behind me,” Krickovich wrote. “I observed a teen wearing a red tank top reach down and attempt to grab the male student’s phone.”
LaCerra demanded the other boy step back and claims the kid “took an aggressive stance” and “bladed his body and began clenching his fists.”
LaCerra pepper-sprayed the teenager and made him get on the ground. Krickovich punched him with a closed fist and slammed his head on the pavement as he laid on the ground. Other teens in the background were heard yelling “what are you doing?” and “he’s bleeding!”
15 yr old Black boy, Lucca picked up a cell phone that fell out of the pocket of a Black boy who was being arrested. In response @browardsheriff officers Christopher Krickovich & Greg LaCerra pepper sprayed, brutally beat, and arrested him.
He broke no laws.#JusticeForLucca
pic.twitter.com/RQLj38GYGN— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) April 20, 2019
Here’s another angle that shows @browardsheriff’s deputy pepper spraying unarmed Black boy, Lucca, who posed no threat. He then slammed his head into the concrete, arrested him & charged him with ASSAULTING the cops.
This is brutality.#JusticeForLucca
pic.twitter.com/SYMjfdkNKZ— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) April 20, 2019
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Krickovich claims he hit the boy as “a distractionary technique" to get the boy to move his arm so he could be cuffed.
"This technique was successful and I was able to place him into handcuffs without further incident,” he wrote.
Krickovich noted there were about 200 teenagers on the scene, and they were allegedly threatening the officers.
“Again, the three of us were outnumbered by the large group of students who were yelling, threatening us, and surrounding us,” Krickovich said in the affidavit. “I had to act quickly, fearing I would get struck or having a student potentially grab weapons off my belt or vest.”
Video of the incident went viral and sparked outrage.
“It may take some time but we will be transparent, and if folks need to be held accountable, it shall be done,” said @browardsheriff. What? These deputies should be fired and charged with assault for what they did to this young man. Today. How much due process did Lucca receive? https://t.co/6P89fkHdvs
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 21, 2019
Lucca’s next court date is May 17th and we want his charges dropped immediately @browardsheriff. He wasn’t resisting he was protecting himself from an unhinged deputy that was smashing his face into the pavement. #JusticeForLucca
pic.twitter.com/QuLHSnO6Fc— SLIM PHATTY (@SLIMPHATTY) April 20, 2019
This man couldn’t wait to rough up a black child. Beyond sick of seeing this. The officers in this video need to be fired and all the chargers against Lucca need to be dropped. Plain and simple. @browardsheriff
#justiceForLucca
https://t.co/jGuJWCZ6H1— Kenny Stills (@KSTiLLS) April 20, 2019
That video was difficult to even watch. Imagine being Lucca or the children standing around who are now traumatized. Where are the major news outlets on this. @CNN
@MSNBC? I’m just sick #JusticeForLucca— Rafranz (@RafranzDavis) April 21, 2019
It’s interesting how everyone in Parkland and Broward was calling out local law enforcement a couple of months ago.
But now the black and brown youth are being brutally assaulted in school by the same police 15 min away.
COMPLETE silence… #justiceForLucca
— David Hogg (@davidhogg111) April 20, 2019
For further proof let's keep looking at what we have. Hands out where the officers can see them with nothing in his hands & 3 officers over him as he lays face down on the concrete. Does this action on Lucca's part justify the officer slamming Lucca's head into the ground? pic.twitter.com/CVEQtIh6BQ
— Todd Douglas (@Toddsrants) April 21, 2019
Sheriff Gregory Tony released a video statement vowing to conduct a “thorough investigation.” Krickovich has been placed on restricted administrative duty, according to CBS Miami.
“Roughly 90 days ago, I was appointed to this position exclusively about accountability and that accountability will be held not just for sake of when we are right but in the cases when we may be wrong,” Tony said.
“So over the next few days, this may take some time to for us to look into, but understand that we will be transparent and if people need to be held accountable it shall be done so please be patient with us.”
The teen, identified on social media as Lucca, was charged with assault, resisting arrest and trespassing. He had a court appearance on April 12 and was released to his parents.
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