An internal review is underway in Akron after a school resource officer (SRO) at Firestone High School reportedly punched a student multiple times during an altercation sparked by the student's attempt to bypass a metal detector. According to Akron police, the incident involved a 16-year-old who was detained when school staff reported he had avoided the metal detectors.
The confrontation, captured on surveillance video, shows two officers restraining the teen as the SRO delivered three punches to his head before grounding him.
Mayor Shammas Malik addressed the public, acknowledging the video as "upsetting" and emphasizing the seriousness of the ongoing review. "I recognize that many people may not trust this process," Malik remarked, assuring a commitment to a "fair and complete process." Following the incident, the officer involved has been reassigned from the school's SRO program and placed on administrative duty.
The school district promptly requested the SRO's removal, a move supported by Malik. The district also highlighted that a new candidate for the SRO position at Firestone will be reviewed before placement. In his statement, Malik noted no weapons were found on the student, though a cell phone—restricted by school policy—was discovered, which, according to Malik, "may have been what gave rise to this incident."
Representing the student's family, attorneys Bobby DiCello and Ken Abbarno from DiCello Levitt issued a firm statement condemning the officer's actions. "He is a child. And no child deserves to be punched in the face by an adult, especially when that adult happens to be an Akron police officer," DiCello asserted. The attorneys are planning a press conference to further address the incident alongside the family. DiCello stressed that arrests "must follow proper procedures, not be driven by an officer's rage."
The student, initially facing charges including resisting arrest, has seen these charges dismissed pending the outcome of the investigation.
Link: News 5 Cleveland
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