A bystander's cellphone video depicting Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies violently apprehending a woman while she recorded a man's arrest has sparked outrage and calls for accountability. The incident, which occurred on June 24th in Lancaster, adds to growing concerns regarding excessive force within the department. Sheriff Robert Luna, who assumed office in December, has pledged to reform the nation's largest sheriff's department and called the video "disturbing." Both deputies involved have been removed from field duty pending an internal investigation, which could result in disciplinary actions ranging from reprimands to dismissal.
Sheriff Luna stated that he was unaware of the incident for six days and that both body-worn camera footage and the bystander's video are being reviewed. The department released the bodycam footage publicly on Monday. The incident is under investigation for potential excessive force and has been brought to the attention of the Civilian Oversight Commission and federal monitors overseeing reforms mandated by a 2015 agreement. This agreement addressed previous federal allegations of excessive force and racially biased policing within the Antelope Valley region, which includes Lancaster.
According to the sheriff's department, the couple in the video matched descriptions of individuals suspected of robbing a Lancaster grocery store. The bodycam footage shows the man sitting on a rock holding a cake before being handcuffed, while the woman films the interaction. A deputy then tackles the woman, shouting commands to get on the ground while pinning her down with a knee. The woman can be heard saying she can't breathe before the deputy uses pepper spray. The man repeatedly informs the other deputy that the woman has cancer.
Sheriff Luna explained that the deputies responded to a 911 call from a store employee reporting an assault on loss prevention personnel. While it appears both the man and woman were involved in the store confrontation, their relationship remains unclear. The woman received medical treatment for pain and scrapes resulting from the pepper spray and the takedown. The man was cited for resisting an officer, petty theft or attempted petty theft, and interfering with a business. The woman received citations for assaulting an officer and battery against loss prevention personnel. It is currently unknown whether they have legal representation. The deputy's attorney claims the woman was taken down due to resistance and refusal to comply with detention.
This incident occurs amidst ongoing efforts to reform the department, particularly concerning allegations of deputy gangs and misconduct under former Sheriff Villanueva. Villanueva's tenure was marked by resistance to oversight regarding these groups, accused of various offenses, including harassment and violence. The department's adoption of body-worn cameras in 2020 was also significantly later than other agencies like the LAPD, which implemented them in 2016.
