The Gwinnett County Police Department is facing criticism after videos of a violent arrest brought in nearly 20 million views on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, according to USA Today.
On Tuesday, Gwinnett County police officer Michael Oxford was seen on video attacking 22-year-old Kyndesia Smith before tasing her and violently tossing her into the back of a police car in Loganville, Georgia.
@jaythegoat3476 This is America ##copbrutality
##blm
##blacklivesmatter
##justice
##killercop
##renegade
##fyp
##fyp
##duet
@jaythegoat3476 Part 2 ##copbrutality
##blm
##blacklivesmatter
##justice
##killercop
##renegade
##fyp
##fyp
##duet
The videos quickly amassed millions of videos and caused outrage. The police department was forced to release a lengthy statement about the video but defended Oxford's actions by saying Smith was not complying.
According to a police statement and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Oxford was called because someone said a group of people threw a bottle at her car and threatened violence against her child. Oxford looked through the home's security footage and confirmed what happened. The person said the alleged culprits were in a house down the street.
When Oxford arrived, police said he saw someone who he believed matched the description of the person on the surveillance footage. That person, Aytra Thomas, is Smith's mother and can be seen in the videos sitting down behind her.
In his report, Oxford said Smith began yelling at him and that was why he attempted to detain her and subsequently tased her.
Thomas spoke to WSB-TV and said Oxford's actions were totally uncalled for.
“He should get fired because he needs more training. Her side where the Taser went at is messed up. Her neck, her back, my shoulder. It ain’t have to go that way. It could have gone a whole other way,” Thomas said on Thursday.
“When he came up, he said, ‘Y’all need to shut the f**k up.’ I didn’t threaten him. She didn’t threaten him. She only told him, ‘I didn’t want to talk.’ That was true. I didn’t want to talk. I didn’t have to talk,” Thomas added.
According to the police department, Oxford has been "placed in an administrative role pending the outcome of the internal investigation." But in its statement, the police department defended the officer's use of his Taser.
"Smith resisted a lawful command and refused to be placed in handcuffs. After refusing to be placed in handcuffs, she was warned that she would be tased. After she resisted the officer’s commands she was tased and placed in handcuffs. … The police department takes all use of force seriously. All use of force cases are administratively reviewed through the chain of command. An investigation into this incident is being conducted," the statement said.
Even though the situation revolved around Thomas, USA Today reported she has not been charged with any crime related to the initial complaint.
Smith is now facing felony obstruction and simple battery of a law enforcement officer charges. She was bonded out of jail on Thursday night.