(May 8) -- A Seattle police officer offered a tearful apology after being caught on camera kicking an innocent man and using a racial epithet.
The video shows a group of officers standing around three men who are lying on the ground. Seattle Police Detective Shandy Cobane shouts, "I'm going to beat the [expletive] Mexican [expletive] out of you homey! You feel me?"
Cobane later kicks the man in the head and another cop kicks him in the hand.
The detective sobbed as he gave a news conference on Friday to apologize to the Latino community, his colleagues and the city of Seattle, The Seattle Times reported.
"I know my words cut deep and were very hurtful," Cobane said. "Please know that I am truly, truly sorry."
The video was shot by a freelance videographer at around 2 a.m. on April 17.
The incident in question took place as officers were investigating an armed robbery in Seattle's Westlake neighborhood. The 911 call reporting the crime had described the suspects as Hispanic.
The man attacked was not involved in the robbery. After officers let him go, the freelance videographer asked the unidentified man why he had been beaten.
"I don't know. They knocked me down and kicked me in the head," he responded.
Cobane and another officer have been placed on administrative leave. The city's police department is carrying out an internal investigation, according to the Times.
Seattle police learned of the event a few days after the incident, and launched the investigation soon after, according to the AP.
Cobane, a 15-year veteran of the police force, said he never imagined he would "do anything to bring such notoriety to my department. Sadly, I did."
The video shows a group of officers standing around three men who are lying on the ground. Seattle Police Detective Shandy Cobane shouts, "I'm going to beat the [expletive] Mexican [expletive] out of you homey! You feel me?"
Cobane later kicks the man in the head and another cop kicks him in the hand.
The detective sobbed as he gave a news conference on Friday to apologize to the Latino community, his colleagues and the city of Seattle, The Seattle Times reported.
Watch more YouTube videos on AOL Video
"I know my words cut deep and were very hurtful," Cobane said. "Please know that I am truly, truly sorry."
The video was shot by a freelance videographer at around 2 a.m. on April 17.
The incident in question took place as officers were investigating an armed robbery in Seattle's Westlake neighborhood. The 911 call reporting the crime had described the suspects as Hispanic.
The man attacked was not involved in the robbery. After officers let him go, the freelance videographer asked the unidentified man why he had been beaten.
"I don't know. They knocked me down and kicked me in the head," he responded.
Cobane and another officer have been placed on administrative leave. The city's police department is carrying out an internal investigation, according to the Times.
Seattle police learned of the event a few days after the incident, and launched the investigation soon after, according to the AP.
Cobane, a 15-year veteran of the police force, said he never imagined he would "do anything to bring such notoriety to my department. Sadly, I did."
No comments:
Post a Comment