The interim Austin police chief has weighed in on a video that has gone viral that shows an Austin police officer punching a man during an arrest.

The video, which captures an incident that took place outside a convenience store Tuesday evening in downtown Austin, was viewed 1.5 million times as of Thursday night, with many of the viewers questioning the officers’ actions.

Chief Brian Manley says the viral cellphone video did not capture the fact that the detained man tried to walk away from officers and later broke free of the handcuffs. After that occurs, the bystander’s cellphone video shows officers striking the man’s arms, legs and head, which are not prohibited tactics as long as they are objectively reasonable, Manley said. He did not comment on whether the use of force in this case was considered reasonable because the incident is still being reviewed.

Manley said the convenience store’s security camera captured the full incident. Manley said the department will not release the video while the investigation into the incident is ongoing.

“That incident’s going to go through the standard review that all of our use-of-force incidents go through,” Manley said. “At that point, we’ll determine whether that’s something we can release, depending upon the review and whether it leads to anything further.”

Manley said the evidence that the handcuffs may have failed concerns him.

“The vital piece that’s missing from what we saw on the video that’s in social media fills in that gap of why we ended up with a resistance and why we ended up struggling with this suspect,” Manley said.

Three officers arrested this man around 7:45 p.m. outside a convenience store off Interstate 35, near Ninth Street, police records show. The bystander’s video shows the officers exiting the store with a man, who appears to be handcuffed, and escorting him around a corner.

Records show that the man, Jason Donald, was charged with drug manufacturing or delivery and resisting arrest.

The woman recording the encounter decided to follow the officers around the corner when she heard shouting. “Put your hands behind your back!” one officer can be heard saying.



“They’re punching me!” the detained man said.

FACEBOOK LIVE VIDEO: Watch Austin Police Chief Brian Manley address viral police arrest video

The video also shows officers using a stun gun on the man.

The chief said other issues emerging from the incident were concerning to him. The bystander’s video shows two officers wearing face covers and another one wearing a black Santa Claus hat with the word “naughty” written on it.

Manley said face covers are mostly used in tactical operations and shouldn’t be used by officers on patrol, and that the Santa Claus hat was a violation of Austin police policy.

Both issues have been addressed with the officers, he said.



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