LAPD Officer Tackles Person Filming An Arrest At Department's Community Event

Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers detained two men while they were volunteering at a community event organized by the former itself.

Robert Cortez, 19, was detained after he attempted to film officers arresting his childhood friend, who was also volunteering at the event.

Cortez and his friend were helping set up chairs for the event organized collaboratively by the LAPD, Los Angeles City Hall, and the Harbor City Council. Moments later, they noticed a patrol car approaching them, Insider reported.

As soon as the cops started to detain his friend, whose identity has not been revealed, Cortez used his cell phone to record the act. Seeing this, one of the deputies shifted his focus on Cortez and tackled him to the ground.

It wasn't immediately clear on what grounds the police tried to detain Cortez's friend.

Cortez's mom, Rocio Gonzalez, said she was in shock after seeing the video of her son getting arrested. She failed to comprehend what irked the deputies.

"He slammed my son on the ground. For what reason? Because he was recording you?" she told Insider.

Gonzalez further said she spoke to the officers involved in the matter, who then revealed they mistook Cortez's phone for a gun. However, she told Insider she didn't buy their excuse.

"You could have shot my son dead and then that's what you cover it with?" she added.

At one point in the video, Cortez can be heard asking the cops the reason for his friend's arrest. "What is he being detained for?" he questioned even as officers continued to arrest his friend.

Cortez's arrest was caught in another video recorded by a community member who posted it on Twitter. In the clip, an LAPD officer, identified as Victor Quezeda, can be seen rushing to Cortez and pinning him to the ground. The 19-year-old was later arrested for resisting the officer.

The video shows a baffled Cortez asking to know the reason for his friend's arrest but the officers paying no heed. One officer was also seen pointing a green taser at the onlookers as the entire incident unfolded.

Cortez's bail was set at $25,000.

It's legal in California for onlookers to record police officers as they detain or question someone. The first amendment rights in California provide this immunity to witnesses to keep a tab on abuse of power by the on-duty personnel.