FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WISH) — Bodycam footage released Thursday from a traffic stop in Fort Wayne shows a violent altercation between police and a woman who refused to exit her vehicle when ordered to do so by officers.
The city released three separate videos of the incident, captured from the body and dashboard cameras of the two officers involved.
Footage shows the woman refusing to give her name to police officers after she was stopped for disobeying a stop sign and pulling out her cellphone. When asked for her driver’s license, the woman told officers she didn’t have her purse and was coming from a friend’s house.
The woman began to argue with the police officer, insisting that she had not missed the stop sign and continuing to refuse to give her name despite repeated requests.
The officers then asked the woman several times to leave the vehicle, but she refused to comply.
The situation escalated when officers violently dragged the woman out of her car and threw her to the ground. The footage shows an officer hitting the woman twice, both while she was still standing and when she was already on the ground.
Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker has promised a thorough investigation into the traffic stop incident.
Both officers were transferred for the duration of the investigation.
Statement from Fort Wayne Police:
“The FWPD believes in transparency and informing the public of the facts as quickly as possible so accurate conclusions can be drawn. Please note that the body camera footage does not show everything the officer saw and experienced. The actions taken in this incident are currently under thorough investigation. The links below will take you to the Fort Wayne Police Department’s YouTube page where you can view the videos in full.”
WARNING: These videos contain scenes that may be disturbing to some viewers
