A teenager who was videoed being assaulted multiple times by a Baltimore County police officer spoke to the 11 News I-Team. The 17-year-old boy, whom 11 News has not identified, and his attorney, Larry Greenberg, said the Baltimore County Police Department The officer used excessive and unnecessary force, punching the boy with his closed fist multiple times while he was on the ground. The scene was captured on cell phone video posted to Murder Ink Baltimore’s Instagram page. “I’m just here to make sure the officer and the precinct take responsibility for what was done,” the teen told the I-Team of hitting he was muted at the time. He was down. He didn’t fight. He did not resist the arrest,” Greenberg told I-Team. In a statement sent to I-Team Wednesday afternoon, county police said the teenager assaulted an officer they said was approaching one another person who had a gun. The teenager has a different account of what happened, ‘Turn around.’ But I couldn’t. He already had me,” the teenager told the I-Team. Police were called to a shopping center parking lot in Woodlawn on Monday, the I-Team reported Tuesday, over a scuffle that may have involved involved a gun.Officers arrested and charged the teenager’s 19-year-old friend Keith Harrison, who was in a wheelchair after he found a ghost gun on Harrison.Police also said cellphone video posted to social media does not reveal , which sparked the encounter between the officers identified by police only as Officer Sokoya and the teenager. The teenager said he would not interfere with a police investigation. At the scene, the teenager was heard saying, “What’s up brother? What are you doing bro?” But the teen said it wasn’t addressed to officers, it was addressed to Harrison. “Not to the police, to my mate,” the teen told the I -Team. back off.” The teenager said Sokoya walked up to him and pushed him, he took off his backpack, and the officer walked up to him again and took him to the ground. He said he doesn’t think he did anything wrong. “This isn’t about a lawsuit. This is about justice and making sure no other person gets hurt or killed,” Greenberg said. The Baltimore County Police Department’s Department of Internal Affairs is investigating. Baltimore County executive Johnny Olszewski said a review is underway. “I came forward and requested a full and thorough review of all available evidence and video, including body worn cameras and the events leading up to the interaction. We are fully committed to transparency in this and all cases,” Olszewski said. The teenager was released into his mother’s care. He said police told him he would be charged. Greenberg said police have not disclosed so far , which charges could threaten the teenager.
WOODLAWN, Md. —
A teenager who appears on video being beaten multiple times by a Baltimore County police officer spoke to the 11 News I team.
The 17-year-old boy, whom 11 News did not identify, and his attorney Larry Greenberg said a Baltimore County police officer used excessive and unnecessary force and punched the boy with a closed fist several times while he was on the ground. The scene was captured on cell phone video posted to Murder Ink Baltimore’s Instagram page.
“I’m just here to make sure the officer and the district take responsibility for what was done,” the teenager told I-Team.
“The constant barrage, he was subdued at the time. He was down. He didn’t fight. He did not resist arrest,” Greenberg told the I-Team.
In a statement sent to the I-Team on Wednesday afternoon, county police said the teenager assaulted an officer who they said was approaching another person who had a handgun.
In a court indictment document, police described the teenager as aggressive and belligerent and disobeying an officer’s verbal orders. The teenager has a different account of what happened.
“[The officer]had his knee on my back and his elbow on my neck and at that point I thought I was going to die because then he just started hitting me. He said, ‘Turn around.’ But I could not. He already had me,” the teenager told the I-Team.
Police were called to a shopping mall parking lot in Woodlawn on Monday over a fight that may have involved a gun, the I-Team reported Tuesday. Officers arrested the teenager’s 19-year-old friend, Keith Harrison, who was in a wheelchair after finding a ghost gun on Harrison, and charged him.
Police also said cell phone video posted to social media does not reveal what sparked the encounter between the officer, identified by police only as Officer Sokoya, and the teenager. The teenager said he did not interfere in a police investigation.
At the scene, the teenager was heard saying, “What’s up bro? What are you doing, brother?” But the teenager said that was not addressed to officers, but to Harrison.
“Not to the police, to my homeboy,” the teen told the I-Team.
The teenager denied pushing another officer and claimed he never heard the officers say, “Back off.”
The teenager said Sokoya approached him and pushed him, he took off his backpack and the officer approached him again and took him to the ground. He said he doesn’t think he did anything wrong.
“This is not about a lawsuit. It’s about justice and making sure another person doesn’t get hurt or killed,” Greenberg said.
The Baltimore County Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division is investigating. Baltimore County executive Johnny Olszewski said a review is underway.
“I came forward and requested a full and thorough review of all available evidence and video, including body worn cameras and the events leading up to the interaction. We are fully committed to transparency in this and all cases,” said Olszewski.
The teenager was released into the care of his mother. He said police told him he would be charged. Greenberg said police have not yet specified what charges the teenager may face.
