An Auburn, Washington, police officer is on administrative leave after jaw-dropping bystander video appears to show him straddling a shirtless man in the middle of a busy roadway and delivering a relentless series of punches to the man’s head and face, roughly 20 in all, during a chaotic arrest attempt.
The shocking footage, which exploded online Thursday, captures the struggle unfolding in broad daylight on Auburn Way North just after 3 p.m. Wednesday. Cars continue to pass as the officer, clad in dark uniform and cap, mounts the man on the asphalt and repeatedly drives his fists downward while the suspect writhes beneath him.
Auburn police say the confrontation began when officers were dispatched around 3:15 p.m. after reports of a man running in and out of traffic and attempting to enter passing vehicles. The first officer on the scene ordered the man to comply. When he refused, the officer deployed a Taser in an effort to gain control.
That failed to end the resistance. A physical fight broke out as the officer tried to handcuff him. In the video, the shirtless man is on the ground in the roadway while the officer works to restrain him, delivering repeated strikes to the head and face amid the struggle. Bystanders can be seen watching from nearby sidewalks and buildings, including a Public Storage facility in the background.
It ultimately took four officers to bring the man under control and place him in handcuffs, according to the department. Even after being cuffed, he continued to scream and resist. Fire personnel were called to the scene to help calm him.
Neither the man nor the officer appeared to suffer serious injuries, police said, though both were transported to a local hospital for evaluation. The officer was placed on administrative leave pending a full investigation into the use of force.
The clip quickly drew intense reaction online. Conservative commentator Mario Nawfal shared the video with the blunt assessment: “I don’t know what this man did, but I think the police officer went WAY too far.” Others defended the officer, pointing to the man’s reported erratic behavior in traffic and continued resistance even after being tased and handcuffed.
Auburn police have faced high-profile scrutiny over past use-of-force cases, including the 2019 shooting death of Jesse Sarey, for which an officer was later convicted of murder, and other incidents that resulted in multi-million-dollar settlements.
The department has not released the officer’s name or additional body-camera footage. The incident remains under review.
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