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North Carolina Cop Resigns After Beating, Choking, And Tasing Suspected Jaywalker
North Carolina Cop Resigns After Beating, Choking, And Tasing Suspected Jaywalker
Source: Citizen Times

North Carolina Cop Resigns After Beating, Choking, And Tasing Suspected Jaywalker

North Carolina Cop Resigns After Beating, Choking, And Tasing Suspected Jaywalker Source: Citizen Times

A North Carolina cop has resigned following the release of body cam footage showing him beating, choking, and taking a man suspected of jaywalking.

Senior Police Officer Christopher Hickman resigned from the Asheville Police Department in January. Prior to that, the 31-year-old was removed from patrol duty shortly after the incident took place in August of last year, according to a report from CNN.

Hickman also faces preliminary charges of assault, with a judge issuing a warrant for his arrest on one count each of assault by strangulation, assault inflicting serious injury, and communicating threats on Thursday.

The altercation took place on August 25, 2017, but the body cam footage was released in late February.

The video shows Hickman and an officer in training stopping Johnnie Jermaine Rush for allegedly jaywalking.

After words are exchanged, Rush attempts to flee on foot when Hickman tries to arrest him.

"(He) thinks it's funny," Hickman can be heard saying during the chase. "You know what's funny is you're gonna get fu**ed up hardcore."

The officers end up catching Rush and as he is restrained on the ground, Hickman proceeds to punch him in the head several times, as well as shoots him with a stun gun and chokes him.

"I beat the s**t out of his head," Hickman says later to another officer. "Not gonna lie about that."

The FBI has launched an investigation into the incident. Since then, Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer has apologized to Rush in a statement on behalf of the City Council.

Source: CNN