614 SHARES Share Tweet

A viral video of a Pennsylvania officer putting a teenage girl in a chokehold has spawned an investigation by the department in the Philadelphia suburb. The clip captured a white officer putting 14-year-old Imarah Bates in a chokehold on the ground while another officer shoves a crowd of predominantly Black teens who gathered around.

As the teens attempt to get close to the officer who has the chokehold on Bates punches at them, prompting one to take several swings at the back of his neck. A second officer swoops in and pulls off the teen and end up on the ground.

Donate to Keep The Black Detour Alive

“I didn’t know what to think at all,” Bates told KYW at a Sunday public meeting hosted by Norristown Police Chief Mark Talbot. “All I know is that I was being choked and couldn’t breathe.” She said she was placed in a Norristown police cruiser at the scene but was not charged with a crime.

Tanesha Webb, the mother of a 12-year-old who was involved in the incident, told WHYY the skirmish started when her daughter, Teh-Airrah, and Imarah along with Teh-Airrah’s 13-year-old friend were attacked by older girls.

“They went from being victims of the young ladies who jumped them to directly being victims of the police officers who attacked them later,” said Webb.

Donate to Keep The Black Detour Alive

The incident occurred on the night of Saturday, May 11, at a carnival, according to the Philly Voice. Authorities were called at around 8 p.m. responding to reports of fights breaking out among what WHYY reported was a crowd of 50 to 100 juveniles.

After the incident, Talbot held a press conference and community meeting, which about 50 people attended to discuss what occurred.

“Based on my initial review of the facts, I don’t feel it’s necessary to pull these officers off the street,” Talbot said.

“Arriving officers were confronted with many juveniles. Most of them chose not to comply,” he explained of the officers’ actions on video. “Officers reported being shoved, punched, kicked. Officers reported that they had drinks thrown on them. Officers reported that they were overwhelmed with the crowd of people that were out there.”

Donate to Keep The Black Detour Alive

Read more:

Author Called Out Black WMATA Employee For Eating On The Train, Now Book Publisher Cancels Her Upcoming Book

Civil Rights Organizations Are Now Joining The Fight For Crystal Mason Who Was Convicted for Voting on Probation

Florida Starbucks Employee Calls Police on ‘Big Black Guy’ Entering the Bathroom

Copyright ©2019 The Black Detour All Rights Reserved.