Video of Florida police beating teen sparks outrage

Kevin Accettulla and Linnie Supall

19 minutes ago

Editor's note: The video of this story may disturb some viewers. The sound was muted due to profanity.

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Video obtained by WFLA from Nexstar shows two Lakeland, Florida police officers punching a teenager and using a Taser on him as they tried to get him to leave an apartment complex.

According to an arrest report, officers were called to a pool at Caroline Apartments on Memorial Day after someone reported people there who did not live at the complex. The report states that the manager asked police to break into anyone not living on site.

Police said a 16-year-old did not provide them with an apartment number or identify himself, and was verbally entered into the property. He left the pool to collect his belongings, according to the report.

The report states the teen was asked to leave the property again and put his hand in the officer's face, but this was not caught on camera. He allegedly “tense his body” when a police officer grabbed his arm and tried to walk away.

In the video, the teenager is seen pinned against a wall as a police officer punches him in the head several times. At one point, the second officer grabs his hair while the other continues to punch him in the head.

The teenager makes several attempts to get the police to stop hitting him by swinging his arms.

As the second officer punches him, the other deploys a Taser, knocking the teen to the ground.

The video ends before the teen is handcuffed.

The police report acknowledges that the officers used “several closed fist blows” against the teenager. The officer who wrote the report said he was punched once in the face.

“Chief [Sammy] Taylor was informed of the incident and spoke with Dr. [Clayton] Cowart and has already requested an administrative review by our Office of Professional Standards,” the department told WFLA in a statement.

The teen was taken to the hospital for a medical evaluation before being transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center.

He faces charges of trespassing, failure to leave property, battery on a law enforcement officer and violently resisting an officer.

“I couldn't stand the fact that two LPD officers literally beat my son,” said Jatae Lewis, the teen's mother.

Lewis said she won't stop until she gets justice for her son.

“You are all here to protect and serve, not to beat people’s children,” she said.

Lakeland police previously came under fire after a man was punched by an officer while on the ground during a traffic stop in December 2022. Antwan Glover was charged with three counts of battery on a law enforcement officer and a leader of resisting police officers with violence subsequently. incident, which was captured on cellphone video.

Lakeland police officers stopped Glover for not wearing a seat belt. Officers told investigators they smelled marijuana and Glover got out of the vehicle. Glover was later discovered to have a medical marijuana license.

Charges against Glover were dropped on May 16.

Linnie Supall contributed to this report.