Omaha police officer punching a restrained man has led to an internal police investigation, Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said Saturday.
"I will get to the bottom of this," Schmaderer said at a news conference. "There is an internal investigation in full swing and the investigation will be conducted thoroughly, fairly, and as swiftly as possible, because the citizens of Omaha and the men and women of the Omaha Police Department deserve a fair resolution."
The incident began Thursday, when officers responded to a parking complaint in a north Omaha neighborhood, police spokeswoman Lt. Darci Tierney said. Officers were preparing to have some vehicles towed for expired tags when they say 28-year-old Octavius Johnson pulled up and approached officers in an aggressive manner.
But video secretly taken by a neighbor shows an officer grabbing Johnson, who did not appear combative, from behind and throwing him to the ground. Later, the officer is seen punching Johnson in the face several times while Johnson is prone on the ground.
Schmaderer did not take questions following his remarks Saturday, saying he's barred by the police union contract from discussing specifics of personnel investigations.
The punches occurred after other officers left the scene to chase Johnson's younger brother, Juaquez Johnson, into his mother's house. The younger Johnson had been recording his brother's arrest on his cellphone. He and his family say police chased him because he refused police orders to stop recording. The family says police arrested Juaquez Johnson and confiscated his cellphone.
A neighbor posted a recording of the incident online.
Another brother, Demetrius Johnson, was also arrested on an outstanding warrant, The Omaha World-Herald reported.
The men's aunt, Sharon Johnson, said an officer chasing Juaquez Johnson ran into her, knocking her out of her wheelchair.
"We deserve an explanation of why we were treated this way."
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