Texas deputy on desk duty after video allegedly shows him punching teen in head, incident being investigated
Officials declined to release the deputy's identity
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Houston-area sheriff's deputy has been placed on desk duty and an investigation has been launched after he was allegedly seen on video punching a teenager in the head.
The male teen, a high school sophomore, told KTRK, the ABC-owned TV station in Houston that he was riding through his on his ATV on March 26 with two other friends in Harris County when they went to a gas station to refuel. Video of the incident posted online appears to show the deputy putting his drink on the teen's ATV and asking to see his license.
The incident was captured on a GoPro camera mounted to an ATV.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"He just looked at my ID for like two seconds and said to put my hands behind my back," the teen told the news station on Wednesday. "That's when I panicked a little and pulled away from him and he grabbed me."
DEREK CHAUVIN BODY CAMERA TRANSCRIPT RELEASED IN TRIAL
A voice on the video is heard saying "Don't run from me boy, I will beat your (expletive) right here. Turn around and put your hands behind your back before I beat the (expletive) out of you. Don't be (expletive) stupid!" The voice allegedly belongs to the unnamed deputy.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The deputy then appears to punch the teen in the back of the head and then puts him on the ground. He is handcuffed and then put into a patrol vehicle. The teen was held for several hours and charged with evading arrest, the news outlet reported.
"I just don't think I should have been treated in that manner," the teen said.
He said the deputy may have tried to pull him over once before for riding the ATV in neighborhood streets.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In a tweet, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the incident was under an internal investigation and that the deputy had been put on administrative duty.
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"We are aware of an incident in which one of our deputies used physical force and unprofessional language against a suspect at a convenience store on Friday," he wrote. "The incident is under internal investigation and the deputy is being placed on administrative duty."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The sheriff's office sent Fox News a copy of Gonzalez's earlier statement when asked for a comment on the matter. Officials declined to release the deputy's identity.