Teen held on multiple charges after violent encounter with Vancouver police
A Vancouver police officer is on critical incident leave following a violent encounter with a 15-year-old that involved the use of a neck restraint, department officials announced Thursday.
Officers responded to a 911 call around 8:30 p.m. April 4 in the 1400 block of Washington Street, according to a press release. A witness reported someone damaging a car and expressed concern that he might assault a woman standing nearby.
Upon arrival, the first officer on the scene saw a person acting aggressively toward his mother and stepfather before aggressively chest-bumping the stepfather, according to the release.
The officer tried to take him into custody, and in response, the teen grabbed the officer's upper body, put him in a headlock and tried to grab the officer's gun, according to the press release.
The video released by Vancouver police shows the officer approaching the teen, seen wearing a Seahawks jersey and raising his voice, then immediately grabbing him by his right arm upon approach. The teen exclaims through profanity not to touch him, and a struggle ensues.
Police said the teen stands 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs more than 200 pounds.
'Knock it off'
In the video, the teen is seen placing his arms around the officer's head and reaching his right hand to the side of the officer in an apparent attempt to take his gun. During the struggle, the teen is seen taking equipment off the officer's ballistic vest, including a gun magazine and car keys, and throwing them.
The officer then moves himself behind the teen in the struggle to the ground and places his arm around the teen's neck as the teen starts to go limp with the officer exclaiming "knock it off" repeatedly. The officer is heard demanding that the teen place his hands behind his back. The teen is seen lying on his side as he is handcuffed while backup arrives.
Washington law generally restricts the use of deadly force, including certain physical tactics such as a chokehold, unless it is necessary to protect against an immediate threat of serious injury or death.
As a second officer arrives on scene, the teen is seen trying to jump up and is immediately pushed back on the ground by the arriving officer. The struggle continues as the second officer is seen kneeling on the teen and eventually punching him in the face.
While being held on the ground with both hands by the second officer, the teen is heard through gasped breath saying "hit me again" at least seven times. Two more officers arrive to help restrain the teen as he is seen spitting on an officer, making verbal threats and saying racial epithets while being moved to a patrol car.
One officer was treated at a local hospital for injuries sustained during the assault and was later released.
The 15-year-old was booked into the Robert L. Harris Juvenile Justice Center facing a litany of charges, including attempted second-degree robbery, two counts of third-degree assault of a law enforcement officer, attempting to disarm an officer, malicious mischief, obstructing, harassment and resisting arrest.
Neither the name of the teen nor the names of the officers involved were released.
The Clark County Sheriff's Office is conducting an independent investigation into the use of force. While the Washington State Office of Independent Investigations declined to take the case, the Vancouver Police Department confirmed that it will perform an internal administrative review once the sheriff's investigation is complete.
Vancouver police Chief Troy Price authorized the release of body-worn and in-car camera footage Thursday to provide the public context of the event, according to the release. The involved officer is on critical incident leave per department protocol, according to the release.
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