According to video footage of an encounter, sheriff’s deputies pepper-sprayed at least one black teenager, tackled him, punched him in the head repeatedly, grabbed him by the back of the neck, and slammed his face into the pavement. The victim was a 15-year-old student at J.P. Taravella High School. And the trend #JusticeForLucca is going viral. And you can click here to go to his GoFundMe.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office is “investigating the incident to determine exactly what happened, how it started, how it escalated and they’re looking at the outcome of it,”
No matter what the case… The cop had him down on the ground and did NOT need to smash his head into the ground.
Broward school board member Rosalind Osgood is requesting the officer be removed.
“He’s a kind, sweet soul. He bent down to pick up the cell phone of another boy who was also wrongly arrested,” Instagram user Markese Ture wrote. “[…] When he stood up, the officer sprayed his face with pepper spray then proceeded to brutally assault him. These kids were gathered at a local McDonald’s after school when police showed up. Lucca broke no laws. Was unarmed. Non-violent.”
Krickovich wrote in a police report that the altercation had ended as he and other officers approached. It was at that time he spotted a teenager who had been warned against trespassing in the area.
“While I was dealing with the male on the ground, I observed his phone slide to the right of me and then behind me,” Krickovich wrote. “I observed a teen wearing a red tank top reach down and attempt to grab the male student’s phone. [The teen] took an aggressive stance, bladed his body and began clenching his fists.”
Krickovich wrote that he had feared for his safety.
Students from J.P. Taravella HS say they all showed up outside a nearby McDonalds to watch 2 students fight, officers responded, then this happened. Some are alleging abuse of force. We’re waiting to hear from BSO to learn what led to this violent chaos @WPLGLocal10 pic.twitter.com/yIpzaTxfkh
— Christian De La Rosa (@delarosaWPLG) April 19, 2019
This is unacceptable. The young man clearly had his hand by his side when he was attacked by these officers. Please contact @browardsheriff to demand removal of these officers https://t.co/4gr7B8m5V4
— Dr. Rosalind Osgood (@ReverendRos) April 19, 2019
And the sports world spoke out.
This man couldn’t wait to rough up a black child. Beyond sick of seeing this. The officers in this video need to be fired and all the chargers against Lucca need to be dropped. Plain and simple. @browardsheriff #justiceForLucca https://t.co/jGuJWCZ6H1
— Kenny Stills (@KSTiLLS) April 20, 2019
So wrong!! Hurts me to my soul!! To think that could be my sons. 🤦🏾♂️😢. Scary times man https://t.co/tRxk6sV7sb
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 20, 2019
What the hell is wrong with our country? This is insane yet routine. So demoralizing. https://t.co/bXxFoKrXY9
— Steve Kerr (@SteveKerr) April 20, 2019
When will this stop?