JONESBORO, Ark. (TND) — An officer in Arkansas has been fired after he was seen on video physically assaulting a man handcuffed in the back of a patrol vehicle.
On Friday, the Jonesboro Police Department said in a Facebook post they were "informed of a complaint about an incident involving an officer that occurred the previous evening."
"The serious nature of the complaint necessitated prompt action," police continued. "Following an internal review of the incident, it was determined that the officer involved, Joseph Harris, should be terminated effective immediately."
The department said it was working through "as quickly as possible" and released the video "in the interest of transparency."
*** WARNING: Some viewers may find the video disturbing. ***
In the video, the detainee repeatedly mentions he had fentanyl in his system and that he needed to go back to the hospital.
He is then seen wriggling around to get the seatbelt around his neck, seemingly trying to strangle himself before Harris stops the vehicle, opens the door and begins punching and elbowing the man in the head.
The seatbelt is then removed from the detainee's neck before he appears to go limp and unresponsive.
Another officer asks the man twice if he's OK before Harris wakes him up with a baton and shuts the door with the detainee's head in between the door and the seat.
Jonesboro Police Chief Rick Elliot told KAIThe communicated with the FBI and that a case has been opened in Little Rock.
The FBI Little Rock division released the following statement to The National Desk:
"The FBI is aware of the incident, but per longstanding DOJ policy, we can neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation."
"I was just shocked and applied by (Harris') actions," Elliot told The Associated Press. "Based on that conduct, I'm not going to have it and I'm not going to put up with it, and immediately terminated him."
Additionally, AP reported Harris was suspended two years ago for using excessive force. He is also a defendant in a wrongful death lawsuit filed in June over an inmate who died in the Craighead County jail.
Police have recently come under renewed scrutiny after body camera footage showed the deadly shooting of 36-year-old Black woman Sonya Massey who called 911 for help and was shot and killed by a deputy in her own home.
Former Sheriff Deputy Sean Grayson was charged with three counts of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct.
ncG1vNJzZmihlJa1sLrEsKpnm5%2BifK%2Bx1qxmp5mknryvedaoqaWcX5a%2FrK3NrJisZZqku6a%2FwaipqGWgpLmqr8Rmm56okafBrrHNrWSonpaesKa%2BjKOmrJ2gnXqprdGroKxllp6%2FprCMmp2tnaJiw6qwxKhkrKCfrMButMimZJudkam2r7OMnZytmZmjsqZ5yKdkqZmkp7ytedWen6KbnJp6p7HNrZinsZxisLC5z6WYoqakYrOjtYycn6KdlmK%2Fqq%2FKZpylpJmkwW61za%2BcrKyZnK61tc6n