NYPD Officer Stripped Of Gun, Badge After Pulling Gun On Video
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- An NYPD officer who was seen on video pointing his gun at a bystander who was filming a police encounter in Harem has been stripped of his gun and badge.
The officer from the 32nd police precinct is now on modified duty after the video made its way across the Internet and back to police department officials, CBS2's Magdalena Doris reported.
It happened Thursday afternoon at a housing development at 480 Saint Nicholas Avenue.
The video shows two officers struggling with a man on the floor when one of them orders bystanders to move back. The video shows the officer then pulling out his gun and shouting, "I'm not playing.''
Ronnie Pinkerton Jr. witnessed the incident. He said the crowd believed the officer was using excessive force while making an arrest.
"He has him in a headlock between his legs, so his head is between his legs and he's kind of like squeezing, so as he's doing that, he's telling us to back up. But you're overreacting, you're using too much physical strength on him," Pinkerton said. "So he pulled out his gun and says, 'Back up! Back up! Back!'"
According to police, the man being wrestled to the ground is 21-year-old Dayshawn Bettway, who was arrested for riding an illegal dirt bike.
"When I saw the gun, my heart raced a little bit," said Pinkerton. "Is he really going to shoot right now? I hope he doesn't shoot right now."
Another video shows the same officer later punching another man in the face before arresting him.
"He acted like he was looking somewhere else so as soon as he walked out, he hit him, grabbed him, threw him down to the floor," Pinkerton said.
Police said that man, 19-year-old Jahnico Harvey, was arrested for menacing and disorderly conduct.
Pinkerton said the incident was a prime example of the divide between police and civilians.
"It's just another example of how police can do whatever they want and get away with it," he said.
The NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau is continuing their investigation.
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