Photo: Getty Images
A 14-year-old Black boy was forcefully taken to the ground, knelt on, and handcuffed by cops while on his way back home from school, ITV reports.
On Thursday (June 23), De-Shaun Joseph encountered London police who said he matched the description of a robbery suspect they were in search of.
De-Shaun was headed back home after school when he was thrown to the ground face-down by cops.
According to ITV, De-Shaun said he was stopped for no reason as he hadn't done anything wrong.
"I thought I was going to die," he said.
His mother, Janet Joseph, said she was afraid that her son would be the next George Floyd, who was killed at the hands of Minnesota cops.
Disturbing video footage of the incident shows De-Shaun on the ground with his hands tied behind his back and a police officer kneeling on his legs.
Left helpless, the 14-year-old boy shouted his mother's phone number to a bystander at the scene.
"It's every parent's worst nightmare," Janet said.
De-Shaun added that cops gave him no explanation before taking his phone and putting him in handcuffs. Doctors say the schoolboy suffered bruising to his back from the incident.
He was eventually released as police realized they had the wrong person.
"It's the same old story - every Black boy fits the description. There's no excuse for what they did to my son and the excessive force they used on a 14-year-old Black boy," Janet added.
A spokesperson for the Met Police said in a statement, "All officers understand that their actions are subject to scrutiny. An initial review of the incident, including body-worn video, has been conducted by the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards and no misconduct is apparent."
"However, a public complaint has been made and will be investigated thoroughly by the professional standards unit,” the statement concludes.
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