Authorities in California, U.S.A. have begun investigation into a shocking video showing a police officer violently punching a black woman while she lies on the ground.
The footage shows the officer chase the woman onto the central reservation of a busy road, before forcing her to the ground.
After a few seconds he begins landing several blows to her head and an off-duty officer runs in to help restrain the woman.
California Highway Patrol said the woman was resisting arrest, releasing a statement to KABC-TV which said: “A physical altercation ensued as the pedestrian continued to resist arrest, at which point a plain clothes, off-duty officer assisted in applying the handcuffs.
“As a matter of policy, every time there is a use of force by our officers, there is a review conducted to determine whether the use of force was appropriate.
“That will be done in this case; however, since there is an ongoing investigation, it would be premature to comment on this specific video segment without reviewing the entire incident.”
Music producer David Diaz shot the YouTube video entitled Police Brutality? from a vehicle entering the eastbound 10 Freeway near La Brea Avenue on Tuesday.
Diaz told NCB Los Angeles: “She took a left, and the cop, the CHP ran after her, grabbed her to try to subdue her, and then she you know, kind of tried to shove it off.
“I think he punched her in the head 15 times.”
A witness, Daina Tate, told the broadcaster: “She was screaming. Two men were on her. They had her arms up. She couldn’t defend herself. She looked totally helpless and terrified.”
Another witness described how the woman looked mentally unwell, and was only wearing black socks on her feet during the encounter.
