Photo: Getty Images
A Louisiana police officer was caught on video grabbing a Black woman by her hair and slamming her to the ground repeatedly.
Shantel Arnold says she was walking home last month after a group of three boys attacked her. That's when a Jefferson Parrish deputy pulled up and told her to stop. Arnold, 34, said the officer's intentions were unclear and when she didn't stop, he got out of the car and slammed her to the ground by her hair.
"Someone record that," a woman can be heard saying in the video of the violent that was posted to social media. The incident was first reported by ProPublica's Local Reporting Network in partnership with WRKF and WWNO along with The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate.
Arnold was reportedly taken to the hospital with a busted lip, scratches and bruises. No charges were filed against her.
The video has since gone viral, sparking an outcry in the community.
"This is absolutely horrifying and UNACCEPTABLE!" civil rights attorney Ben Crump tweeted Tuesday (October 19). "An investigation has been opened into this officer's actions. He must be held accountable!"
The bystander footage is the only video evidence of the violent encounter since Jefferson Parrish officers are not required to wear body cameras.
Jefferson Parrish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto III said last week that his office didn't have the budget for the equipment until recently, The Washington Post reported. In a meeting with the Democratic Executive Committee, Lopinto said his office purchased 500 cameras for $8.7 million in June and has plans to have all officers trained on them by the end of the year.
What legal action Arnold takes from here is not yet known. According to state law, she has up to year to press charges, The New York Times reported.
Reading about Black trauma can have an impact on your mental health. If you or someone you know need immediate mental health help, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. These additional resources are also available:
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255
The National Alliance on Mental Illness 1-800-950-6264
The Association of Black Psychologists 1-301-449-3082
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America 1-240-485-1001
For more mental health resources, click HERE.
Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.