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Law enforcement in 2019 seem determined to dig themselves deeper and deeper holes.
Deputy Manuel Van Santen of the Pima County Sheriff's Department is no exception.
He was recorded on video physically tackling a teenager with no arms or legs.
The altercation began when the fifteen year old boy was upset after being suspended from school.
You can watch footage here:
Tuscon Cop Under Investigation After Wrestling Teenage Quadruple Amputee To The Ground youtu.be
GRAPHIC: Teenage quadruple amputee violently wrestled to ground by deputy www.youtube.com
Van Santen then gets on top of the teen and pins him to the ground while the boy screams and cries.
He is heard yelling at the boy, named Immanuel.
The deputy screams "What is your problem?" among other expletives.
The Arizona sheriff's deputy who brutally assaulted a child with no arms or legs has been identified as Manuel Van… https://t.co/XRR1F1Sljq— Rebecca J. Kavanagh (@Rebecca J. Kavanagh)1573915576.0
And you know now there are gonna be a million tweets, ha, see told you so, it wasn't about race or racism, cause th… https://t.co/DnQLPSFYGm— Rebecca J. Kavanagh (@Rebecca J. Kavanagh)1573917609.0
@DrRJKavanagh Why do these abusive clowns always look the same? Not skin tone...the eyes. The facial expression(s)… https://t.co/xFcybJ0JXc— Time for a Dynamic Change 🌹 (@Time for a Dynamic Change 🌹)1573951241.0
@DrRJKavanagh Lock him up!— judi jorgensen (@judi jorgensen)1573915827.0
@DrRJKavanagh Vile, dangerous man!— Mary Kirwan (@Mary Kirwan)1573919706.0
Van Santen is heard yelling:
"I will raise my voice to you whenever the f–k I want, you understand?"
After arresting Immanuel, Van Santen then turned his attention to the sixteen year-old boy who was shooting the video. After reportedly slamming him against a wall, Van Santen arrested him for being:
"extremely disruptive and interfering with our investigation."
Charges against both parties were dropped by prosecutors once they saw the video.
Van Santen now faces a criminal investigation by the Pima County Attorney's Office.
@DrRJKavanagh Great news but thr article title should read, "attack" or "assault" rather than "arrest".— Time for a Dynamic Change 🌹 (@Time for a Dynamic Change 🌹)1573951730.0
@DrRJKavanagh @1vinito Like those kids life isn't hard enough!— GrowlingAtTheSun (@GrowlingAtTheSun)1573955366.0
@DrRJKavanagh @shaunking Abuse of authority. Fire him.— Nancy Henricksen (@Nancy Henricksen)1573919536.0
@DrRJKavanagh Soon to be ex. There is no way any human being would brutally assault anyone much less a child witho… https://t.co/iYeO1EEu8x— Gilliam Report (@Gilliam Report)1573928565.0
@DrRJKavanagh Two week PAID vacation coming up, I’m sorry “Paid administrative leave !”— Calvin Ellis (@Calvin Ellis)1573951513.0
Pima County Sheriff Mark Napier stated:
"The conduct we observed on the video at face value is shocking, disturbing, and personally saddening to watch."
"On November 15 (Friday) morning, I authorized a criminal investigation into the conduct of Deputy Van Santen and ordered that he be placed on administrative leave."
Of the deputy's reason for using force and for arresting Immanuel, Public Defender Joel Feinman said:
"I don't know how a 15-year-old with no limbs squirms and wriggles in a 'violent fashion'."
"Much less a fashion that justifies being assaulted by an armed police officer."
@DrRJKavanagh @andyg_live Administrative leave? Fired, arrested, prison.— sandy (@sandy)1573924932.0
@DrRJKavanagh Should be arrested for assault. With the video there is no defense he can articulate for his actions.— Michael Belgrave (@Michael Belgrave)1573935665.0
@DrRJKavanagh @shaunking Just terrible— Captain Kool 🐑🐑👑 (@Captain Kool 🐑🐑👑)1573923747.0
@DrRJKavanagh He SHOULD be arrested and prosecuted just like any other criminal.— Tony Samuel Dad/Author/Leader/Philanthropist (@Tony Samuel Dad/Author/Leader/Philanthropist)1573934889.0
@DrRJKavanagh Just how deep seated is your need for power and control to physically assault a quadruple amputee???— 🇨🇦 UP2NOGOOD 🇨🇦 (@🇨🇦 UP2NOGOOD 🇨🇦)1573916080.0
The fate of Van Santen is still in question.
But sadly after numerous other similar—or worse—cases resulted in rulings in favor of law enforcement, the faith of most Americans in the legal system to do the right thing is shaky at best.