An Atlanta police officer has been placed on administrative leave after a video appears to show him punching a man in the head.
The video was recorded Thursday and released on Facebook by Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta. A spokesman for the organization said the arrest took place on Broad Street and Upper Alabama in Five Points.
“The officer involved in the use of force depicted in the video has been relieved of duty and is currently on administrative leave,” Atlanta police said in a statement. “Following the conclusion of the internal investigation, Chief Erika Shields will review the evidence therein to determine the appropriate disciplinary action, if any.”
The officer’s name has not been released.
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The incident comes amid backlash for racially charged police use of force.
Two officers in Gwinnett County were fired when video surfaced that showed white officers kicking a black man during a traffic stop.
In February, surveillance video of a controversial officer-involved shooting outside an Atlanta police annex contradicted the officer’s account that he was hanging halfway out of the vehicle when he fired his gun.
The family of that shooting victim, 24-year-old Deaundre Phillips, called for the dismissal of the officer who shot Phillips once in the head, killing him.
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