Police Investigating After YouTube Video Shows L.I. Officer Grabbing Man's Throat
SOUND BEACH, N.Y. (WCBS 880/1010 WINS) -- Police on Long Island are investigating an online video that appears to show a police officer grabbing a man by the throat and threatening him.
In the 32-second video circulating on YouTube, a Suffolk County police officer is seen grabbing a 22-year-old Michael Schuchman by the throat, threatening to beat him up and take him to jail, WCBS 880's Mike Xirinachs reported.
"I'll beat the living s--t out of you and drag your f-----g a-- to jail, got it?" the officer is heard saying in the video.
Video Appears To Show L.I. Officer Grabbing Man By The Throat
When Schuchman tells the officer to "get out," the officer is seen grabbing his throat and shoving him into a kitchen cabinet.
"I'm telling you right f-----g now you better watch your f-----g tone with me," the officer is heard saying. "I don't care how much you've had to f-----g drink tonight."
Schuchman then tells the officer to "get your hands off my throat."
Video Appears To Show L.I. Officer Grabbing Man By The Throat
The officer then lets him go and threatens to take him to jail if he has to come back to the house.
The March 28 incident occurred at Schuchman's Sound Beach home on Sayville Road where police said they were responding to a complaint of a loud party.
WARNING: Extremely Graphic Language
"Officers dispersed a large crowd. The Department is aware of the video circulating on the Internet related to this incident," Suffolk County Police said in a statement. "The SCPD Internal Affairs Bureau is conducting a complete and thorough investigation into the matter. At the conclusion of the investigation, we will take appropriate action."
One neighbor said the video doesn't tell the whole story and that Schuchman provoked the officer when he arrived at the house, 1010 WINS' Mona Rivera reported.
"He wanted to get in, I couldn't hear what they were saying," she said. "Then you see Mike push him, fight against him, not let him in, he put his hands on the cop first."
Other neighbors claim Schuchman is a troublemaker.
"It's a horror story," one neighbor said. "We have party after party, they must've put it on Facebook or advertised it."
"They should be investigating that house," another neighbor said. "I can go on Facebook right now and pull up at least 20 pictures of underage drinking, people doing drugs, what that house looks like inside."
Schuchman said he did nothing wrong and has retained an attorney, but has yet to file a complaint, Xirinachs reported.
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