Story highlights A suspect alleges police beat him after his arrest, attorney says

"This is why people are afraid of the police," mayor says

(CNN) Two police officers in East Cleveland, Ohio, are out of a job after a robbery suspect alleged they beat him up and pushed him down a cliff after arresting him.

Police fired the officers, and the case has been referred to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Mayor Gary Norton said. He declined to provide details about the alleged misconduct but said the officers could face a range of charges, including police brutality, kidnapping and assault.

"We are not dealing with an issue of race," the mayor told CNN, noting that both the officers and the suspect are African-American. "We are dealing with what is in the minds of individuals that are empowered with a badge and a gun. It is a sickening thing to have to deal with as a mayor."

The accused officers could not be immediately reached for comment. They have not been charged.

East Cleveland is a suburb of Cleveland, where federal investigators found a pattern of police excessive force in 2014 . But the cities have separate police departments.

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