Video of police stopping fight at NJ mall sparks excessive force investigation

Video of police stopping fight at NJ mall sparks excessive force investigation

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BRIDGEWATER – The Bridgewater Police Department has called for an internal affairs investigation after a video circulated on social media showing officers’ response to a fight at Bridgewater Commons over the weekend.

The video shows two male teens, one Black and the other white, having an argument before pointing fingers at each other. They then begin pushing and shoving each other, a move that sends a couch sliding along the floor, and the Black teen is thrown to the floor.

But it's the police response that some, including voices heard on the video and Gov. Phil Murphy, are questioning as racially motivated.

UPDATE: After Bridgewater Commons mall fight, NAACP calls for police officers’ removal

The story continues below the tweet.

Although an investigation is still gathering the facts about this incident, I’m deeply disturbed by what appears to be racially disparate treatment in this video. We’re committed to increasing trust between law enforcement and the people they serve. https://t.co/ck9yCXMmL0 — Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) February 16, 2022

As police arrive a female and male officer grab the white teen off the Black teen. The white teen is placed onto the couch while the male officer tackles the Black teen to the ground, straddles his back and crosses his hands to handcuff him while the female officer appears to have her knee on his back. The video shows no sign of resistance from the Black teen.

"It's cause he's Black, racially motivated," a female voice is heard saying in the video.

As the Black teen is being handcuffed on the ground, the white teen is seen standing up looking at the officers before the female officer sits him back on the couch as the Black teen is lifted off the ground by the male officer. The video cuts off at this point.

The Bridgewater Mall Fight is the clearest example of how police actively use race as a shorthand for who they perceive as a threat.

See for yourself. pic.twitter.com/ThJPQFNEzO — Benjamin Dixon (@BenjaminPDixon) February 16, 2022

In a Facebook post Monday, the Bridgewater Police Department said it was aware of the video.

"We recognize that this video has made members of our community upset and are calling for an internal affairs investigation. The officers were able to respond quickly to this incident and stop it from escalating because of a tip we received from the community," the post says. "We have requested that the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office assist us in this matter and are requesting patience as we strictly adhere to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Internal Affairs Directive https://www.njoag.gov/iapp/."

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The post says police have received videos from community members and asks that anyone who has a video of the incident to email it to [email protected].

"The men and women of the Bridgewater Township Police Department are thankful for our community partners and look forward to continuing to build our positive relationships," the post says.

The police department's post generated more than 200 comments, some questioning why both teens weren't restrained, or if the fight could have been broken up without the use of handcuffs.

Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.