CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In a statement released late Thursday afternoon, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department confirmed that an officer punched Christina Pierre in the face during Monday's arrest.
A video of the arrest went viral and has garnered national attention.
The video shows at least four CMPD officers restraining the woman on the ground while a fifth officer was punching her multiple times. It happened just after 2 p.m. Monday near the intersection of South Tryon Street and West Arrowood Road.
A second video obtained by WCNC Charlotte showed the woman being searched before she was put inside a patrol car. The incident started when an officer saw two people smoking marijuana at a bus stop, according to Jennings. From there, the situation escalated and the woman allegedly punched an officer in the face.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings addressed the injuries to Pierre's face. Jennings said he believes it happened during an initial struggle, but that the officer's body camera was "knocked off" at the time, and you can barely see it. Jennings said that will be part of the investigation. A CMPD news release says the officers acted in accordance with North Carolina's use of force law, claiming the officer who punched the woman was hitting her in the thigh to gain control and prevent further assault.
"I did see the bruises on the side of her face, it is consistent with either a punch or an abrasion," Jennings said. He said he believes the officer reacted after he was punched by the woman.
On Thursday evening, CMPD confirmed that, after speaking to witnesses, "an officer, in response to being physically assaulted, returned a strike to Ms. Pierre's face one time." The statement goes on to say that this occurred during the initial encounter at the bus stop, before the struggle on the ground.
CMPD has filed a petition to release all body camera videos of the incident. A hearing on the release of the recordings is scheduled for Nov. 30 at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse.
