Police officer on leave after viral video appears to show woman being punched during arrest

SHELBY, N.C. (WBTV/Gray News) - North Carolina authorities say a police officer has been placed on leave after a now-viral video appeared to show them punching a woman during a reported arrest.

A Shelby police officer was allegedly seen in a doorbell camera video hitting a woman during an arrest on Friday.

The video in question was circulated quickly on social media, prompting outrage in the community. Protesters gathered downtown to decry the officer’s actions and to call on the police department to take action.

Editor’s note: WBTV has seen the video but is not legally allowed to share it in this article.

Shelby Police Chief Brad Fraser shared the city’s first official statement Friday evening in response to the viral video.

“I want to be clear that the inappropriate use of force is unacceptable and will not be tolerated by me, the Shelby Police Department, or the city of Shelby,” Fraser said. “We understand the concerns this instance has caused within our community and want to assure the public that this matter is being taken seriously.”

The police officer involved was not explicitly identified. Fraser confirmed that the officer in question has been placed on “administrative suspension” while an internal affairs investigation is underway.

According to Fraser, the situation captured on camera happened as Shelby officers “encountered a suspicious female” while “conducting a criminal investigation.”

It was not clear how the woman was connected with the criminal investigation.

Fraser described the officer’s actions as “disturbing and inappropriate.”

The woman who was being arrested in the video was not explicitly identified by the police department in Friday’s brief press conference.

In the video, the Shelby police officer appears to throw the woman to the ground in a residential neighborhood, with the woman saying, “I don’t have a warrant. What are you doing?”

The officer then appears to hit the woman several times while straddling her. The woman can be heard exclaiming in pain and does not appear to be fighting back.

Another police officer is seen running into view of the camera and telling the first officer to “let go” of the woman. The second officer repeatedly says “I got her,” as the first officer continues to throw punches at the woman.

The second officer is then seen helping the woman up, with each officer holding onto one of her arms. The officers then attempt to get her in handcuffs, while two other law enforcement officers walk over to them, according to the video.

One of the officers who walked over appeared to be in plain clothes and not in uniform.

The woman could be heard asking the officers to call her father, saying she’s not on her medication. She could be heard asking for mental health help at least once in the video.

The video clip seen ends with the woman and four officers standing on a lawn. It was not immediately clear if she was taken into custody at the scene or what charges she may face.

The Shelby Police Department did not initially respond to requests for comment. The only information provided by the department was shared in the Friday evening press conference.

The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office shared two statements on Friday, primarily to clarify that the officers seen in the video are not sheriff’s deputies.

“The conduct depicted is deeply concerning and does not reflect the standards expected of any law enforcement professional. Our comments are directed toward the behavior seen in the video alone, not toward the Shelby Police Department as a whole,” the sheriff’s office said Friday in a statement.

The statement continued, “We trust that the appropriate authorities will thoroughly review this incident to ensure transparency and accountability moving forward.”

The online video has gained more than 1 million views, with many comments scrutinizing the officer’s behavior.