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Police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, are investigating the forceful arrest of a man who was wrongfully suspected of fleeing a crash. The incident, which was caught on cell phone video inside an Applebee’s restaurant, shows officers attempting to arrest the man while employees try to protect a baby. The man, Jermelle English, was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. The police department has stated that they have an internal process in place to review the officers’ use of force and that the incident is under investigation. This incident comes three years after the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by a white officer. KMAland.com reported
The Kenosha Police Department in Wisconsin is currently conducting an internal investigation into the forceful arrest of a man who was wrongly suspected of fleeing a car crash. The incident took place inside an Applebee’s restaurant and was captured on a cell phone video. According to a criminal complaint obtained by ABC News affiliate WISN, the police officers were responding to reports of a rollover crash where multiple individuals had fled the scene. The officers were searching for an African American man and woman with a baby who were said to have run towards Kohl’s or Menards. The woman was described as wearing a red shirt and having a bun on top of her head.
Jennifer Harris, the manager at a nearby Applebee’s, stated that the police initially entered the restaurant to inquire if any employees had seen individuals matching the description. However, an employee informed them that they hadn’t. A few minutes later, another employee spotted two individuals with a baby who seemed to fit the description and immediately contacted the police. The complaint states that one of the officers returned to the restaurant and identified a man and a woman with a baby who matched the suspects’ description.
The man, identified as Jermelle English, was believed by the officers to be involved in the accident and evading arrest. The complaint mentions that when the officers asked English what car they arrived in, he and the woman refused to answer and attempted to leave. According to Harris, she believes English got up to change his baby’s diaper, but the complaint states that he started walking towards the exit. In the cell phone video, employees can be seen trying to grab the baby while the police attempt to arrest English. The scene becomes chaotic, with people yelling for the officers to be careful with the baby. Eventually, multiple officers tackle English to the ground, and one of them can be seen repeatedly striking him while he’s pinned down.
The complaint also mentions that the woman who was with English fought with another officer during his detention. According to Harris, the officers deployed pepper spray without warning, causing respiratory issues for everyone present. She also stated that the baby had been pepper sprayed and had difficulty calming down. However, the police dispute this claim, asserting that the baby was not in the immediate area when the pepper spray was used.
Harris believes that the suspects from the crash entered the Applebee’s through a side door rather than the front door and were eventually found hiding in the men’s bathroom. Information regarding charges against these suspects is not yet available. English, on the other hand, was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
The Kenosha Police Department has initiated an internal process to review the officers’ use of force, which is more comprehensive than what is required by the state. They have started an investigation into the incident, and upon completion, it will determine whether the officers acted appropriately and if any disciplinary action or additional training is necessary.
It is important to note that this forceful arrest occurred three years after a white officer shot Jacob Blake, a Black man, in the back during an alleged domestic dispute. The U.S. Justice Department investigated the case but found insufficient evidence to prove that the officer willfully used excessive force. The district attorney also declined to file charges against the officer, and the police department stated that he acted within policy.
Additionally, Harris mentioned that she was fired from her job shortly after the incident, and Applebee’s has not provided any specific comment on her termination. However, a statement from a local franchisee emphasized their commitment to cooperating with the local authorities in their investigation.
The incident has left Harris and other employees upset and traumatized..
