An Arizona Deputy is currently under criminal investigation after he was seen pinning Immanuel, a 15-year-old shirtless amputee, down to the ground.
What We Know:
- The group home worker says Immanuel was upset because he had just learned that he had been suspended. When Manuel Van Santen arrived, Immanuel tried to move away from the deputy, who responded by violently pushing the teen’s face into the floor and pinning him there for several minutes.
- Immanuel was arrested and later charged with disorderly conduct, his lawyer said. After the videos were released, the charges against him were dropped.
- The incident caught on camera has led the Pima County Attorney’s Office to not only drop the charges but to look into Van Santen’s conduct. “The conduct we observed on the video at face value is shocking, disturbing, and personally saddening to watch,” said Pima County Sheriff Mark Napier, according to the Phoenix New Times.
- Immanuel’s lawyer, Joel Feinman says “It’s a horrible spectacle.” “He was assaulted by a man with a badge and a gun, just screamed and cursed at.” Van Santen can be heard in the video saying “I will raise my voice to you whenever the f–k I want, you understand?”
- When the criminal investigation into Van Santen finalizes, its findings will be shared with the Pima County Attorney’s Office, where it will be up to County Attorney Barbara LaWall to decide whether to file criminal charges against the deputy.
According to a report, Van Santen has been placed on administrative leave following the video of the altercation being released to a local news station on Wednesday.
