Baltimore Police Officer Knocks Out Woman After She Punches Another Cop, Video Shows

A Baltimore police officer was suspended after he was caught on camera knocking out a woman after she punched another officer. The incident took place Friday (May 29) night.

The video of the incident circulating on social media showed a woman shouting at an officer on a street. He then grabs her arm as she attempts to walk away. The agitated woman then punches the officer twice in the face. Following this, another officer grabs her arms from behind. The barefoot woman, however, manages to strike the first officer again in the face. The second officer immediately knocks the woman down.

In a statement Saturday (May 30), the Baltimore Police Department stated that the unidentified woman was taken into custody and then transported to a hospital.

“Last night, the Department became aware of an incident involving the arrest of a woman by two of our officers. A video posted online showed a woman striking a Police Sergeant twice in the face and then a Police Officer striking her in the head. She was subsequently taken into custody and transported to an area hospital for an emergency petition,” the statement said.

“Police Commissioner Michael Harrison viewed the video and ordered an immediate investigation into this incident by the Department's Special Investigations Response Team unit which is part of the Public Integrity Bureau. The Deputy Commissioner for PIB has directed a full review and has suspended the officer’s police powers during the investigations,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, Baltimore Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young too released a statement calling the video of the incident “deeply disturbing.”

“I believe the first officer, who was struck multiple times by the woman, showed remarkable restraint by not retaliating as he was being assaulted. The woman should have been placed under arrest and not assaulted. Our system of justice does not involve the concept of an ‘eye for an eye,’” he said, adding that he has informed the Police Commissioner to tell officers citywide that “sound, constitutional policing is the only acceptable way we’re going to do things here in Baltimore under my watch.”