By Adam Sacasa
Sun Sentinel
BOYNTON, Fla. — Boynton Beach Police are investigating an incident where an officer is captured on camera taking a student to the ground.
Boynton Beach Police spokeswoman Stephanie Slater said the incident happened Thursday near the corner of Northwest Fourth Street and Boynton Beach Boulevard. Although it’s not known where the students attended school, the location of the incident is just outside Galaxy Elementary School.
The first of two videos, which appears to be filmed by a student on a bus, shows two boys, who appear to be about 10 or 11, who were allegedly causing a disturbance on the bus.
A woman in the first video is heard asking students to sit down as a boy in a red shirt is escorted off the bus. The boy then appears to be handcuffed and seated next to another boy who appears to already be sitting with handcuffs. Three officers are seen around them.
About halfway through the second 30 second video is when an officer is seen walking up to the boy in the red shirt, who is now standing and facing another officer, and taking him to the ground with what appears to be a leg sweep.
Some of the students on the bus can be heard saying that the boy in the red shirt was cursing at the officers. After the officer brought the boy to the ground, the kids can be heard yelling “They can’t do that!”
Slater said police are still trying to determine what happened.
“We are aware of video that is circulating the Internet involving several of our officers. We are investigating the circumstances surrounding this situation and have placed one of the officers on administrative duty,” Slater said in a statement on Tuesday.
“We are concerned as to the initial appearance of the video, and despite the fact that we have received no formal complaints at this time, we are committed to reviewing the situation in it’s entirety and taking whatever action is deemed most appropriate at the conclusion of our investigation.”
Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident to call detective Dennis Galindez at 561-742-6142.
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