Lovejoy police officer on leave after Walmart body slam
Viral video shows officer slamming man in Walmart
A Lovejoy police officer was placed on administrative leave after a viral video showed him body-slamming a man at a Walmart on Tara Boulevard, according to the department.
LOVEJOY, Ga. - A Lovejoy police officer is on administrative leave after a video surfaced appearing to show him body slamming a man at a Walmart on Saturday night.
What we know:
Lovejoy Police Chief Steve Wright confirmed an officer is on leave following an incident Saturday night at the Walmart on Tara Boulevard.
According to the chief, the unidentified man was accused of causing a disturbance inside the store.
Video of the encounter shows the officer lifting the man and slamming him to the ground while the man appeared to have his hands behind his back.
Chief Wright stated the man was taken to an area hospital following the slam and is not facing any charges.
What they're saying:
A witness, identified as Ms. DeeDee, filmed the encounter and spoke with FOX 5. "The officer just lifted him up, and to everyone’s surprise, BAM! Slammed him to the ground, and you could hear the impact to the floor," she said. Ms. DeeDee noted the man had called the officer names before the slam, but she felt the force was excessive. "I thought he was dead, everybody thought he died, clocked out," she told FOX 5, adding, "I think he should be fired because why bring this energy back?"
What we don't know:
While the chief is looking into the officer's actions, the specific identity of the man who was slammed has not been released.
Additionally, the specific medical condition of the man following his transport to the hospital remains unknown.
What's next:
Chief Wright said he is currently investigating why the officer used that level of force. He expects to wrap up the internal investigation by the end of this week.