Georgia cop is placed on desk duty after TikTok video viewed 19 million times showed him dragging black woman, 22, and tasing her as he responded to 911 call from neighbor reporting a bottle thrown at a car
- Gwinnett County cop Michael Oxford was placed on administrative duty
- Viral TikTok showed Oxford using a stun gun on Kyndesia Smith, 22, on her porch
- The officer showed up at the Loganville home on Tuesday after a neighbor reported a group of people had thrown at bottle at her car
- Oxford was seen arguing with Smith before grabbing her in an attempt to place her in handcuffs
- He then drew his stun gun and told her to get on the ground before tasing her
- Smith was seen falling into bushes in front of the home screaming
A white Georgia police officer has been placed on administrative duty after he was captured on video dragging a black woman on her porch and tasing her during her arrest.
Video of the incident shared on TikTok, shows Gwinnett County cop Michael Oxford struggling with Kyndesia Smith, 22, outside of her mother’s house in Loganville on Tuesday.Â
Oxford had shown up at the home around 7.30pm on a property damage call after a neighbor reported a group of people had thrown a bottle at her car, police said.
She also told officers one of the group members threatened to assault her nine-year-old child.
Gwinnett County cop Michael Oxford (pictured) has been placed on administrative duty after a viral video showed him using force and tasing a black woman on her porch in Loganville on Tuesday
A TikTok video of the incident which has been viewed more than 19million times, shows Oxford pointing his stun gun on Kyndesia Smith (in blue) after telling her she’s under arrest
After Oxford tased her, Smith fell into bushes in front of the home screaming as the officer continued to struggle with her in an attempt to place her in handcuffs Georgia cop fires taser at black woman during porch scuffle
Police said one of the women on the porch at a nearby home matched the description of the suspect in the complaint.
The video shows Oxford arguing with Smith, who had been sitting on the porch with her mother Aytra Thomas and two other women.
Smith could be heard saying: ‘You’re on our property. We did not call you, I’m not going anywhere,’ after Oxford asks if she wants to go to jail.
He then tells her she is under arrest and orders her to turn around, to which Smith replies: ‘I’m not resisting, you’re not touching me.’
Oxford then grabs Smith’s arms and a struggle ensues as he attempts to place her in handcuffs, prompting screams from the other women.
After failing to detain her, the cop orders Smith to get on the ground, drawing his stun gun before tasing her, the video shows.
Smith falls into the bushes in front of the home screaming as the officer continues to struggle with her in an attempt to place her in handcuffs.
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In a second clip, Oxford is seen struggling to handcuff Smith after she fell into the bushes
Police claim Oxford gave Smith ‘several warnings’ and told her she would be stunned if she resisted commandsWitnesses scream as Kyndesia Smith is pushed into cop car
In another clip, Smith appeared to kick at the officer as he pushed her into the back of a police car.
Smith was charged with felony obstruction and simple battery against a police officer and was released after posting bond Wednesday
Gwinnett County Police addressed the incident in a statement on Thursday after receiving ‘multiple inquiries’ about the video that has been viewed more than 19million times.
Police alleged the officer was trying to speak to one of the women he recognized from neighbor’s surveillance video showing a bottle being thrown at a car.
‘He attempted to speak with her about the incident but was unable to do so because the defendant in this case, Kyndesia Smith, began yelling at him,’ police said.
The statement claimed Oxford gave Smith ‘several warnings’ and told her she would be stunned if she resisted commands.
‘Smith resisted a lawful command and refused to be placed in handcuffs,’ the statement said.
‘After she was placed in handcuffs she kicked the officer and continued to be uncooperative.’
Gwinnett County Police addressed the incident in a statement on Thursday after video of the arrest went viral. Officials alleged Oxford had been trying to speak to a suspect but was unable to after Smith ‘began yelling at him’
The police department said it takes ‘all use of force seriously’ and that an investigation will be conducted.
Oxford has been placed in an administrative role pending the outcome of the internal investigation, officials said.
The woman’s mother, Aytra Thomas, spoke out against the officer’s use of force and told WSB-TV in an interview Thursday that the arrest ‘didn’t have to go that way.’
Smith was charged with felony obstruction and simple battery against a police officer and was released after posting bond Wednesday, according to jail records obtained by news outlets.
It was not immediately clear whether she had an attorney who could comment on her behalf.
The arrest comes as demonstrators around the country have called out racial injustice and police brutality during protests this summer, including in nearby Atlanta where a white officer now charged with murder fatally shot Rayshard Brooks, a Black man, in a Wendy’s parking lot.
Oxford had shown up at the home at around 7.30pm on a property damage call after a neighbor reported a group of people had thrown a bottle at her car, according to police