Video Shows Oklahoma Deputy Punching Teen While Kneeling On Him At State Fair

The attempted arrest of a 17-year-old boy was captured in widely shared video, officials said Tuesday, appearing to show him being punched in the head by an Oklahoma sheriff’s deputy.

The incident unfolded Saturday night at the Tulsa State Fair as the teenager was being detained by Tulsa County sheriff's deputies, officials said.

As he is face down and being handcuffed, one deputy is on the boy's lower half and the other is on top of his head and shoulder area, video of the arrest appears to show.

“Our deputies were waved down by several civilian fairgoers who pointed out that there was a male individual and a female individual in line for one of the rides and the male individual was acting extremely belligerent, being intoxicated and causing a large disturbance that concerned the citizen bystanders,” Capt. Mike Moore, the Tulsa State Fair commander for the sheriff’s office, told the Tulsa World.

Moore said the teen resisted arrest and fought with the deputies, who used "the force necessary" to subdue him.

Witnesses disputed that the force was necessary.