Internal Investigation Underway After Rochester Police Officer Pepper Sprays Woman In Front Of Her Child
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Rochester Police are facing questions after an officer pepper-sprayed an African-American woman in front of her young child.
It happened in February as officers confronted the woman for suspected shoplifting.
The incident was caught on body cam video.
After emptying out her purse, she takes off running and is eventually tackled outside a store.
As she gets up, one of the officers pepper sprays her as her crying child looks on.
Weeks earlier, a 9-year-old was pepper-sprayed while in police custody.
Rochester's Police Accountability Board says the incidents are disturbing.
"What we would like to see is the handling of things being handled in a way that shows sensitivity, in a way that shows that the officers are trained and that they are there to protect," said Dr. Rickey Harvey, a member of the police accountability board.
The woman denied stealing anything.
An internal police investigation is underway, and one of the officers involved has been placed on administrative leave.
