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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, captured 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, identified as Jermelle English, was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. The incident has raised concerns about excessive use of force by the police department. ABC7 New York reported
In Kenosha, Wisconsin, the local police force has initiated an internal investigation into the forceful arrest of a man who was mistakenly suspected of fleeing a car crash. The incident took place at an Applebee’s restaurant and was captured on a cell phone video. According to a criminal complaint obtained by ABC News affiliate WISN, the Kenosha 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 male and female, who were described as having a baby and running towards Kohl’s or Menards. The woman was further identified as wearing a red shirt with a bun on her head.
The manager of the nearby Applebee’s, Jennifer Harris, stated that the police initially came into the restaurant asking if any employees had seen individuals matching the given description. However, no one had. Shortly after, another employee spotted two individuals with a baby who seemed to fit the description, prompting her to call the police. The officers returned to the restaurant and identified a man and a woman with a baby matching the suspects’ description.
The man in question, identified as Jermelle English, was accused by the police of being involved in the car accident and evading arrest. When asked about the car they arrived in, English and the woman refused to provide an answer and started walking towards the exit. It was at this point that chaos ensued, as employees tried to grab the baby while the police attempted to apprehend English. The video shows people shouting for the baby’s safety, and an employee warning officers to be careful about the baby’s head. Multiple officers tackled English to the ground, with one officer repeatedly striking him while he was pinned down.
The police complaint also mentioned that the woman accompanying English was fighting with another officer and actively resisting arrest. Harris claimed that the police officers deployed pepper spray without warning, causing respiratory issues for those present. She also stated that the baby had been pepper-sprayed, which prompted the officers to call for emergency medical services.
However, the police disputed the claim that the baby was exposed to pepper spray, stating that the child was not in the immediate area when it was deployed. They also mentioned that it was difficult to determine if the child had been affected by any particulates in the air. The suspects who had fled the crash were later found hiding in the men’s bathroom of the restaurant.
Meanwhile, Jermelle English was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Harris expressed her belief that the police felt justified in their actions because English did not comply with their questions. She criticized the arrest, stating that it should never have taken place. The Kenosha Police Department assured that they have a comprehensive internal process in place to review the use of force by their officers and that an investigation is currently underway. They emphasized that the investigation will determine whether the officers acted appropriately and if any disciplinary action or additional training is necessary.
This forceful arrest incident occurred three years after a white officer shot Jacob Blake, a Black man, in the back during an alleged domestic dispute response. Following an investigation, the U.S. Justice Department stated that there was insufficient evidence to prove that the officer willfully used excessive force. The county District Attorney also declined to press charges against the officer, and the police department confirmed that the officer acted within policy.
In a distressing turn of events, Jennifer Harris was fired from her job shortly after the incident. Applebee’s did not provide specific details about her termination but issued a statement expressing their commitment to cooperating with the local authorities in their investigation.
The incident at Applebee’s has left Harris and other employees deeply upset and traumatized..
