Police Officers Step In To Stop Fellow Cop Punching Woman In Face During Arrest

A police officer in Southern California has been placed on administrative leave after he was caught on video hitting a woman in the face twice, while she was handcuffed:

The footage was taken on Wednesday (21 April) in the northern Orange County area of Westminster. It was recorded by a witness, Sandy Armenta, who said the 34-year-old was named Ciomara Garcia, and was already handcuffed.

Speaking to NBC Los Angeles, Armenta said: "That's what people don't get, she was handcuffed.

"Everyone knows her from the neighbourhood."

Westminster police attended the scene after a report that Garcia allegedly assaulted a woman who was attempting to rescue a dog that was running in the street.

The police department said that when they handcuffed her, Garcia was showing signs of being under the influence.

The witness said that when Garcia hit one of the officers in the lower thigh, he punched her in the face, with the two other officers intervening.

The video doesn't show anything that happened prior to the struggle on the street.

A statement by the Westminster Police Department reads: "While waiting for paramedics, Garcia was not compliant and she became combative with the officers.

"While trying to control Garcia, a WPD officer used force and struck Garcia two times in the face with his fist. Two WPD officers immediately intervened and de-escalated the situation."

"After careful review of the video and based on the totality of the circumstances, a Westminster police officer was immediately placed on paid administrative leave pending an internal affairs investigation."

It added: "The Westminster Police Department is well aware of portions of the video circulating on social media.

"The Westminster Police Department considers this a serious event and will ensure that this investigation will be guided by the law and the truth."

According to Armenta, the officers who intervened stopped the situation after speaking to the colleague that punched Garcia.

She added: "They told him to scoot over there and he left the scene after that."

Garcia was arrested on a prior felony vandalism charge. The Orange County District Attorny will determine if Garcia should face other charges, including assault on a police officer and resisting arrest.

The DA must also determine if any criminal charges should be brought against the officer for his use of force.

Topics: US News

Amelia Ward

Amelia is a journalist at LADbible. After studying journalism at Liverpool John Moores and Salford Uni (don't ask), she went into PR and then the world of music. She spent a few years working on festivals and events. Soon realising you can't pay your bills with guestlist, she went back to her roots. In her spare time, Amelia likes music, Liverpool FC, and spending good, quality time with her cat, Paul. You can contact Amelia at [email protected].

@ameliasward