NYPD caught on video punching and kneeing black suspect in the head

A video uploaded to Instagram shows an NYPD cop punching and kneeing a black subject who was already being held down.

The video shows a man identified as 26-year-old Darnell Simmons being held down by a bystander and one police officer as another officer attempts to handcuff him.

In the video, witnesses can be heard pleading with the police officers to stop hurting the man as the bystander helping police can be heard to say, “I am trying to help. If he stops fighting, I won’t hit him.”

The video shows Simmons being repeatedly hit in the face as one officer manages to get one of his hands in the handcuffs. When Simmons’ face comes back into view of the camera, he is repeatedly hit again.

See Also: Vocal Trump suppporting NYPD cop accused of racism

According to a police statement made on Friday, Simmons was arrested after officers recognized him as he entered a McDonalds as a parole violator and suspect in several robberies.

Before the video began, Simmons was reportedly fighting with the officers, breaking one of their noses in the process. In addition to the broken nose, the two officers were later treated for two herniated disks and a torn ligament, and one officer will be out of commission for two months.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJBLo8eBUl7/