'I'll whip your ******* ass:' Shreveport officer under investigation

The Shreveport Police Department has launched an inquiry into a video circulating on social media that allegedly shows a Shreveport police officer violently threatening a man at a home.

The Shreveport Police Department confirmed Monday that the video described below is the one being investigated, but few details surrounding the encounter have been released by police.

Police have identified the officer as Gary Thomas. Police have yet to say why officers were at the home. It is also unclear when the encounter took place.

The 50-second video begins with Thomas standing on the porch of the home.

A young man is sitting in a chair talking with Thomas. The young man said Thomas was putting his hands on him for no reason. It appears that the video begins mid-conversation or shortly after officers arrived.

"You're damn right I'll put my hands on you any f****** time I want to," Thomas yells. "You f****** swing on me, mother****** and I'll whip your f****** ass."

Thomas appears to be brandishing a baton in one hand. Thomas holds the young man's arm with his other hand.

"Record me. Record me," the young man says.

"Record it. Record me whipping his ass," Thomas said while motioning with his baton to the person filming.

The young man then asks Thomas why he's treating him like this. Thomas again gets angry.

"Don't throw your hand up at me again," Thomas says before moving in closer to yell. "Do not throw your hands up at me again." Thomas then throws the young man's arm down.

An elderly woman off-screen can be heard telling the young man that all he had to do was turn the music down.

"I didn't do anything," the young man says. "I know my rights."

"Get off this f****** porch right now," Thomas said. "If you don't get off this f****** porch. If you don't get up, I'm gonna make you get up."

Two officers then grab the young man by his arms and shove him from the porch in the final few seconds of the video.

"Don't shoot him," the elderly woman says as Thomas and the young man leave.

"That's okay. Let him run," Thomas said.

"Don't shoot him," the woman said.

"He's scared," Thomas said.

It's unclear who Thomas was talking to in the final few seconds of the video.

A Times reporter reached out to a man who posted the video online but he has not responded to a request for a comment.

Shreveport Police Chief Alan Crump ordered an inquiry into the video, according to a police department release Sunday. Thomas "is seen engaging a man in a manner not in line with departmental practices," according to the release.

Police placed Thomas on paid departmental leave Monday morning, according to a release from the police department. He's been a member of the department since 2010.

“We are concerned with the content of the video that has been circulating on social media," said Shreveport Mayor Ollie Tyler of the video. "I have instructed Chief Crump to take all appropriate action and to complete a thorough review of this matter. We expect all of our employees to interact with our public in a professional and courteous manner."



