El Paso cop pulls gun on group of children, arrests cameraman

An El Paso police officer is being investigated after video showing him threatening a group of children with a gun went viral.

Filmed on Thursday, the video shows the El Paso Police Department cop detaining one child while yelling at others to get back.

Moments into the video, the police officer draws his gun at the group of children who are protesting the arrest of their friend.

"Put it up!" one bystander yells at the officer, who quickly holsters the weapon.

Video shows an El Paso police officer threaten children with a gun, nightstick and arrest the person filming. Video shows an El Paso police officer threaten children with a gun, nightstick and arrest the person filming. Photo: Aj-king Stoner Via Facebook Photo: Aj-king Stoner Via Facebook Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close El Paso cop pulls gun on group of children, arrests cameraman 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

"That's why I f***ing hate cops, pointing a gun at us and sh**," says one child.

ICYMI: Things to know about white nationalists, the hate group targeting Texas colleges

Video also shows the officer pulling out a nightstick and ordering the children away from their friend, who is pinned to the ground and being arrested by a second officer.

As the arrest takes place, the person filming consoles the child and tells him he will report the officers.

In response, the police officer caught on camera threatening the children with his gun grabs the cameraman and arrests him too.

"The initial call went out as a criminal trespassing in progress," El Paso Police Department spokesman Sgt. Enrique Carrillo said in a Saturday news conference. "The officers arrived and were handling that when they encountered the suspect involved in the criminal trespass and from there the events you witnessed in this video unfolded and that is where we are at."

The El Paso Police Department said the officer in question has been placed on desk duty and an internal investigation into the incident was launched, according to ABC news.

Fernando.ramirez@chron.com

Twitter.com/fernramirez93