Coronavirus Enforcement: Louisville Doctor Charged After Strangling Teen For Ignoring Social Distancing

A doctor in Louisville, Kentucky, has been arrested after a video appeared to show him attacking teenagers for not following social distancing protocols. In the video, reportedly shot late on Friday, local physician John Rademaker can be seen cursing at and harassing a group of teenage girls before eventually putting his hands around the neck of one, an 18-year-old Hispanic woman.

“Seriously, get off of her,” one of the other girls can be heard saying.

Rademaker was arrested by the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) on Tuesday and charged with three counts of harassment with physical conduct and one of the first-degree strangulation. Another woman was with Rademaker during the incident, joining in with harassment and attacking one of the other girls, but it is unknown who she is or if she is being sought by police.

“Obviously, we do not advise individuals concerned about social distancing to take matters into their own hands and confront people about it, especially in any physical way,” LMPD Special Advisor Jessie Halladay said.

The department urged anyone concerned about public gatherings to instead call 911 or 311, rather than taking matters into their own hands.

Rademaker, a contracted member of the anesthesia group at Louisville’s Baptist Health, has been placed on administrative leave following the attack and his subsequent arrest.