An Oklahoma City police officer is on paid administrative leave while an internal investigation into an assault incident involving a 70-year-old man continues.
The department released body camera footage of an Oct. 27 interaction between the officer and Lich Vu following a vehicle collision near NW 39 and Meridian Avenue,
The officer appears to throw Vu to the ground during an argument in which Vu refused to sign a ticket for an allegedly inappropriate U-turn. Vu was hospitalized after the incident.
After the collision, police said, Vu tried to reach into the other motorist’s car and talk about hitting her. According to the police, there has been no contact.
The body camera footage begins with Vu in the driver’s seat of his car, his door open and the officer explaining why he is writing the ticket for an improper U-turn.
“I didn’t do that,” Vu said.
A moment later he got out of the car.
As the argument continues, the officer is heard telling Vu that if he didn’t sign the ticket he would go to jail.
“I’m ready to go to jail,” Vu said.
“Are you ready to go to jail?” said the officer. “Ridiculous. OK. Then your car will also be confiscated.”
The officer then spoke briefly with the other motorist involved in the collision. He issued a ticket to the motorist.
When the officer returned to talk to Vu, the argument over Vu’s ticket continued.
Vu appears to punch the officer in the chest.
“Shut up,” Vu said.
The officer appears to grab Vu’s arm before throwing him to the ground and handcuffing him. Police said the handcuffs were removed after a call to paramedics.
KWTV-9 reported that Vu’s daughter said Vu had surgery to repair a brain hemorrhage, and he has a broken neck that requires him to have a feeding tube to eat.
The police said in a statement that the incident is still under investigation and will be submitted to the Public Prosecution Service.
“The Oklahoma City Police Department is committed to transparency and accountability,” the department said. “We want our community to know that this matter is being thoroughly investigated and that the review process will take some time. We ask for your patience as we work to complete this investigation.”
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC police release footage of assault incident involving elderly man
