An officer in Reading, Pennsylvania is under investigation after telling a woman to "get back to the ghetto" as she questioned officers for aggressively arresting a man who was suspected of burglary, according to the New York Post.

The woman confronted the police while witnessing the arrest with several other bystanders, including one person who posted a video of the incident to YouTube. According to the Reading Eagle, the footage shows two deputies restraining 20-year-old Yonathan Marte-Nunez in the street on Monday, with one officer sitting on the suspect's waist. A third officer was also at the scene telling concerned witnesses to "shut up" and move along.

“You can’t just put him in a car?” one witness asked the officers.

Replying to the bystander, one of the deputies said, “This is the only way I can hold him down so he doesn’t get hurt.”

When a woman interjected into the heated exchange and referred to one of the officers as a "cracker," the deputy responded by calling the woman a "ghetto girl."

“Shut up, ghetto girl,” he said. “Get back to the ghetto. Get back to the ghetto.”

Many of the witnesses remained on the scene and watched in agony as officers continued to sit on the suspect, who was wailing on the street. The bystanders also advised Marte-Nunez to remain calm as he was pinned against the street for several minutes before finally being taken away in a patrol car.

Reading Mayor Eddie Moran promised a thorough investigation of the incident.

"In that video, a patrol officer appears to be engaged in conduct that is contrary to my goals, along with the department's, of engaging our community in a positive way," the mayor said in a statement. "At this time, the Reading Police Office of Professional Standards is conducting a thorough investigation into the incident that will include a review of officers’ body-worn cameras that were activated during the incident and any other video that is available."

The Reading Fraternal Order of Police Lodge also issued a statement, saying it would work with the city administration to look at the issue.

"The Fraternal Order of Police takes allegations of misconduct very seriously," lodge President Charles Menges said in a statement. "Our role is to ensure the due process of our members."

The incident in Reading is reminiscent of the tragedy involving George Floyd, who was pinned against the asphalt for more than eight minutes while witnesses begged officers to let the man breathe, as Blavity previously reported.

Yonathan Marte-Nunez

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