2nd Richfield cop is placed on leave after video released of teen being hit
A second officer in the Richfield Police Department has been placed on administrative leave following the release of a video showing an officer striking a teenager.
Richfield PD announced in a Wednesday press release that it has placed a second officer on paid leave pending an investigation.
It follows the release of a video on Twitter that appears to show an officer striking a 19-year-old man in the head.
The teenager has since been identified as Kamal Gelle. He was pulled over and given a citation for careless driving.
Speaking to the Star Tribune, Gelle, who grew up in Richfield, said the officer treated him "like I was from a different country."
"He's doing his job. He has to be firm," he told the newspaper. "But to push you, to hit you, that's completely wrong."
On Monday, Richfield PD placed another of the officers said to be involved in the incident on paid leave.
The PD has also announced that it has requested the investigation into the video be carried out independently, by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).
The BCA's probe is said to already be underway.
