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Video shows Seattle police beating a man with batons at a bus stop

story June 7, 2024
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A video taken by a Washington state man and circulating on social media shows Seattle police officers beating a person with batons at a bus stop, prompting an investigation by authorities, the city's top police officer confirmed to USA TODAY on Thursday.

The violent altercation, in which an unidentified person is attacked and screams “police brutality,” was recorded by DeeAnthony Marcell around 1:30 p.m. Friday.

Marcell, 36, told USA TODAY he was on the bus on his way to a music rehearsal when he noticed the fight was “already underway.” He pulled out his phone and filmed the incident, which lasted 30 seconds or more.

“What the hell is their problem? Why are they doing this?” the hip-hop and R&B singer said he remembers asking himself about the attack. “It was very triggering.”

“Nobody tried to intervene. Nobody could intervene because the stop was cordoned off. We were on the bus and therefore could not get off at the stop because they were obviously using that stop,” Marcell said.

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Video shows Seattle police beating a man with batons

The footage of the 30-second video shows two uniformed officers from the Seattle Police Department repeatedly hitting a man lying on the ground with batons.

During the confrontation, the officers, both of whom appear to be wearing latex gloves, yell at the man and one appears to grab his hair.

“Whoa. What the hell?” Marcell can be heard saying as the scuffle is filmed.

At some point both police officers kneel on the man's back to handcuff him.

Seattle chief confirmed OPA is investigating the video

Suhr, interim chief of the Seattle Police Department, confirmed to USA TODAY on Thursday that the Office of Police Accountability (OPA), an independent body within the agency that investigates complaints of alleged police misconduct, is investigating the video.

Rahr made the following statement:

“I have viewed the video that circulated on social media over the weekend and fully understand the community's concerns. While OPA conducts a comprehensive investigation as our accountability process requires, my staff is gathering information, including all available video for my review so that I have a more complete picture of the entire incident.”

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What did the man beaten by police batons do?

Rahr did not provide any further information, including what the person in the video allegedly did, who they are, who the officers involved are and whether they have been placed on leave in connection with the video.

USA TODAY has reached out to OPA and the mayor's office.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X at @nataliealund.

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