A newly elected Florida sheriff is promising “absolute zero-tolerance” after multiple videos circulated on social media of a deputy slamming a Black high school student on the concrete so hard she appeared to lose consciousness. Apparently, zero-tolerance translates to turning over the investigation to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. That’s what Sheriff Marco Lopez, Osceola County’s first Hispanic sheriff, said he would do during a news conference Wednesday. “We want to make sure it’s a complete, thorough investigation without my influence in this case,” Lopez said.
The student is fine but the deputy, who was working as a school resource officer during the incident, suffered injuries and has gotten death threats, Lopez said. Authorities have not yet confirmed the identity of the deputy or student. The incident happened at Liberty High School, which is located in unincorporated Osceola County about 35 miles south of Orlando. “The student was not complying with lawful commands,” Lopez said. “She went after another student (...)”
Video posted online so far of the incident only shows the deputy picking up the student and slamming her to the ground. Her body appeared limp and immobile as he handcuffed her. “What the f--k is wrong with you?” someone can be heard yelling in one witness video. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump tweeted Wednesday: “This was NOT a ‘minimal amount of force necessary’ as dictated by the Dept’s use of force policy! We must demand justice!”
WARNING: This video contains profanity and police violence that may be triggering to viewers.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said in an earlier-released statement Tuesday that the office was in the initial stages of its investigation. “We are collecting video, witness statements, and relevant information related to the incident,” the sheriff’s office said. “We know that the School Resource Officer was in the process of trying to stop the student from fighting another student in the hallway when the deputy took her into custody.” Lopez said in response to a reporter’s question that the deputy doesn’t have a history of misconduct other than minor damage to property.