Latest news with #NajeeAli
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Girl, 17, injured in brutal body slam by police in Southern California
Footage of a violent arrest last week that has since gone viral on social media shows a police officer brutally body slamming a 17-year-old girl who was reportedly handcuffed. The May 21 incident occurred in the parking lot of the San Bernardino Food4Less grocery at around 2 p.m., according to Najee Ali, a spokesperson for the family who spoke at a Sunday press conference outside the San Bernardino Police Department. Police said they were called to the area on reports of a person trespassing and someone actively trying to fight other people inside the Food4Less. Cellphone video captured the moment the teen, standing face first against the police cruiser, was lifted off her feet and viciously slammed to the ground by the officer. The young Black girl, a San Bernardino resident who has only been identified as Erin, suffered several injuries during the incident and required immediate medical treatment for a dislocated wrist and cuts to her chin and face that required stitches. 'He should not even have had his hands on her, but he picked up my child like she was a ragdoll and slammed her to the ground,' Erin's father, Christopher Crowser, said. 'I want justice.' Man, 31, in U.S. legally for 12 years ripped from family, detained by ICE In the cellphone footage, another officer standing in front of the officer who slammed the teen to the ground is seen releasing his metal baton as the person filming appears to try and get a better view of the girl while she's on the ground. As for the 17-year-old herself, she says the violence has traumatized her. 'Since that day, I've been in a lot of pain and I'm scared to go to sleep,' she explained. 'If I walk outside, even just taking out the trash, I'm scared because I don't know what's going to happen to me.' In a statement by San Bernardino Police Department officials, the officer had only been to handcuff one of Erin's hands when she reportedly began to pull away and walk off, and that's when the officer used the takedown maneuver. Erin's family believes the entire situation was mishandled, and they are calling on State Attorney General Rob Bonta to lead a thorough investigation into the incident. 'It's not right,' Erin's grandfather, Michael Phillips, said. 'I don't blame all the police. I just want that one that felt compelled to slam my granddaughter.' An attorney representing the family told KTLA that they intend to file a lawsuit against the police department. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
25-05-2025
- CBS News
Family of 17-year-old seeks independent probe into San Bernardino arrest
The family of a 17-year-old girl arrested on May 21 at a grocery store in the city of San Bernardino is urging California Attorney General Rob Bonta to initiate an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding her arrest. The incident occurred around 2 p.m. last Wednesday at a grocery store located in the 500 block of West 2nd Street. According to a news release from the San Bernardino Police Department, the teen was arrested on suspicion of trespassing and attempting to fight others. During a press conference on Sunday, Najee Ali, director of Project Islamic Hope and the family's spokesperson, voiced their outrage over the incident. "Today, we are here demanding justice. We have a young African American female, 17-years-old who was viciously attacked, violated, and body slammed face-first on video by a San Bernardino police officer," said Ali. In a news release issued last week, the San Bernardino Police Department denied that the teen was body-slammed. "At the time of the physical encounter, the officer was attempting to place the female in handcuffs. The officer was only able to place one of her hands in cuffs when she began actively pulling away and attempting to walk off from the officer when a takedown maneuver was used," police said. Following the incident, the department reported that photographs were taken and the girl was transported to a local hospital for a full medical evaluation. Police added that she sustained a laceration to her chin, a scrape to her cheek, and complained of pain. However, Ali stated that the teen's injuries were far more severe, stating Sunday that the teen's face has been permanently scarred. "Her face is scarred, she has a dislocated wrist and injuries to her face," Ali said. "And she did nothing. She's the victim." The teen's mother, Tanya Brownridge, also demanded accountability: "I just want justice for my baby. She didn't do anything." The girl, identified only as Erin, also appeared at the press conference and stated that she was hurt in the incident, and in a lot of pain: "I am in a lot of pain, my head, my whole body, I am not the same person that I was." The incident was currently under investigation by the San Bernardino Police Department. "Every use of force by our officers is subject to a thorough review, first by a supervisor and then through an administrative review process. The key question in every case is whether the force used was necessary, reasonable, and within policy. This incident is no exception, and that review is currently underway," the department added in its news release.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Yahoo
Girl knocked unconscious during fight in Inland Empire middle school classroom
Public outrage is growing after a fight in a middle school classroom in Colton left a girl unconscious, an incident captured on video that has sparked accusations of racial bias. According to the Colton Police Department, the fight occurred Monday morning at Jehue Middle School, 1500 N. Eucalyptus Ave. In the video, a much larger Latino boy is grappling with a smaller Black girl when she grabs a laptop off a desk and slings it at his head. The boy then slams the girl's head into the desk, knocking her unconscious and drawing gasps from the other students. Police said both students are 14 years old, and they were issued citations and released to their parents. Many, however, say that's not enough. The California Legislative Black Caucus issued a statement describing the incident as a 'brutal assault of a young Black student' and demanding a 'full investigation' and 'accountability.' The unedited video included several audible racial slurs. 'All students, especially our young Black girls, deserve to be safe, valued, and protected while they are on our school campuses,' the statement said. While some, including activist Najee Ali, believe the boy should be expelled and the girl cleared of any wrongdoing, police reportedly believe the girl instigated the incident. 'The Colton Police Department stated that the girl was cited for assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly hitting the boy multiple times in the head with a metal hydro flask before the recorded video began,' news radio station KFI reports. 'The boy, on the other hand, was cited for battery, not for the incident in the video, but for earlier horseplay with a water pistol.' Colton Police Sgt. Mike Sandoval told the San Bernardino Sun that the girl faces a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon, and the boy was charged with misdemeanor battery. Both also were suspended from school and face possible expulsion. As for the motivation behind the fight, Sandoval said it does not appear to be racial in nature. 'There's no indication of that at all,' Sandoval told the Sun. It's unclear what actions, if any, were taken by adults during the leadup to and immediately after the incident. School officials say a substitute teacher was in charge of that classroom, and a call was made to school safety officers. Investigations into the incident are ongoing, the Rialto Unified School District said in a statement. 'The District does not condone the violent actions of the students and does not tolerate hate speech on any of its campuses,' the statement said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
