NEW JERSEY (Transatlantic Today) – Police in New Jersey are facing backlash after a Black 8th grader was detained and forced to the floor while a white youngster engaged in the Saturday mall brawl was left reclining on a couch.
The brawl, which occurred on Saturday at Bridgewater Commons in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey, was caught on camera and triggered an investigation into the police’ actions, as well as severe comments from the governor.
A group of teenage kids is seen gathering in a mall dining area, with 2 boys, one Black and one White, rising up in a verbal confrontation.
The Black teenager and his mother spoke with NBC New York about the incident and the police intervention, identifying the teen as Kye and his mother as Eboné.
Kye, 14, said the fight began when he confronted the bigger child who was bullying his friend.
According to the footage, the fight intensified with the 2 throwing fists at one other while bystanders yelled.
Two uniformed Bridgewater law enforcement officers arrived on the scene after a few seconds of fighting and separated the 2.
According to the footage, one cop pulled the white kid into a sitting posture on the couch.
According to the footage, one cop pulled the white adolescent into a sitting posture on the couch.
Meanwhile, Kye, who was on the floor, was pushed to his front by a policeman, who appeared to be on his back with his knee on his back. According to the video, a female cop assisted by placing her knee against the back of Kye’s neck as they placed him in handcuffs.
The white kid seemed to be left undisturbed, and at one time stood up and glanced about the area as Kye was being detained by the two cops.
According to the NJ Advance Media, Kye has been barred from the mall for 3 years. The other kid was also barred from the shopping center for 3 years, according to Troy Fischer, the mall’s senior general manager.
In a message posted to its Social media page on Monday, the Bridgewater Police Department addressed the event.
Police are requesting anybody who has footage of the encounter to contact them, and they’ve requested the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office to undertake an independent investigation of the officers’ actions.
The footage was confirmed by Bridgewater Township Mayor Matthew Moench on Tuesday, and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy voiced his worry.
The attorney general’s office formalizes the standards governing police officers’ use of power in New Jersey, according to Moench.
