Video Shows Police Beating Black Man During Traffic Stop In Ohio

Cleveland police released dashcam video of a forceful arrest which showed officers punching and slamming a victim’s head into the ground during an August 12 traffic stop. A bystander uploaded the video of the incident to Facebook that went viral and amassed more than 6 million views by Tuesday.

The Euclid Police Department released dashcam video Sunday along with a statement regarding the incident. In the video, an officer asked a black man to "face away" from him twice, then started to kick and pull him to the ground.

Two officers can be seen attempting to subdue the suspect. One officer can be seen punching the man and hitting his head against the pavement.

Police said the suspect, Richard Hubbard III, 25, refused to comply when an officer asked him to turn around to place him in handcuffs, according to a statement. Officers claimed the suspect drove through a traffic signal at a busy intersection. A background check revealed Hubbard had a suspended license.

Police charged Hubbard with resisting arrest and driving with a suspended license. Officials examined him at the Cuyahoga County Jail Euclid Annex and later released him after he posted bail.

A local hospital treated the arresting officer and then released him. His department placed him on paid administrative leave.

The viral video sparked outrage from citizens and activists, with some questioning whether the force police used on the suspect was justifiable. Some argued Hubbard’s resistance appeared to be passive.

Citizens rallied to protest Saturday night at the location of Hubbard’s arrest. Michael Nelson, an attorney for the Cleveland NAACP, attended the protest.

"There seems to be some aggression and at no time have we seen de-escalation take place," Nelson told Cleveland.com. "This particular video tape is disturbing regardless of the underlying circumstances."

Protestors rallied Monday night again at City Hall, asking for more accountability from police. Citizens also met with local leaders to address apparent friction between law enforcement and the community, according to Cleveland.com.

Local community organizer Rian Brown claimed Hubbard’s incident, in tandem with other past incidents involving black men and police officers, are part of a deeply rooted issue.

"The city government fails to respond to black folks," he added. "This is nothing new. This is something we are seeing all across the country."

Police haven’t released much to the public regarding the incident but claim they are investigating it. In a statement, police said a "violent struggle" broke out after Hubbard refused to comply, police told local reporters.

"This entire incident will be reviewed, in detail, so that the public can have a full and open understanding of the series of events that eventually led to this violent encounter," a department spokesman said.

"The videos of the incident on Saturday morning raise some very serious concerns," Euclid Mayor Kirsten Gail said in a statement. "We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all use of force by police are both lawful and justified. I can assure you the incident will be reviewed thoroughly and appropriate action will be taken."