2015/10/24

This was not the first time that the Acosta family were targeted by the police.

However, the latest attack has shaken the family to its core.

The victims included a great-grandmother and a two-year-old toddler amongst others.

In September four 2014 police officers barged into the family’s home after a fight had broken out half an hour earlier in front of the apartment.

As soon as the cops entered the home, they singled out 24-year-old Darrell Acosta.

“They came in, they were like, ‘Oh, you had a fight.’

Without even asking me a question, they just pointed at me and said, ‘Oh, you had a fight.’ And from there, they reached over to pull me, and I said, ‘I’m not going with you’,” he says recalling the incident.

Fortunately, the family managed to capture the incident on video and uploaded it onto YouTube.

The Acostas say an elderly family member Margarita Acosta was choked by cops and her daughter Elena Acosta was dragged down the apartment staircase by her hair.

The police officers did not even care for Margarita’s great grandson, a two-year-old toddler, who ended up in hospital after being hit by pepper spray.

In the video, and can be heard shouting “I really didn’t do it” several times.

At least a dozen police officers and several police cars can be seen in the video that lasts a minute and 38 seconds.

The Sunset Park residents say they do not understand what law enforcement has against them.

Not only are have they been harassed on the streets by officers, but also been victims of unjustified arrests on two occasions, including the current incident.

Twelve years ago on July 4,2003 police officers had arrested Margarita following complaints of excessive noise and fireworks.

That day too, the cops used excessive force in trying to drag the woman to a police car leaving her covered in bruises.

The charges were dropped and the city had to pay $500,000 for the officers’ aggressiveness.

Watch the video below: