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Texas cop caught on video punching male in face, knocking him flat on his back reportedly is named, taken off street
An Austin, Texas, police officer who was caught on video last week punching a male in face and knocking him flat on his back has been named by the department and taken off the street, KVUE-TV reported.Earlier this week, Blaze News highlighted a video showing what appeared to be that officer seeming to throw a single punch — and a male crumpling to the ground and lying flat on his back a second later.'I know that Chief Davis will take appropriate action, including action that leads to termination.'But that clip from a KXAN-TV story about a "crowd control" incident last Friday night on Sixth Street shows just one angle of the officer's apparent single punch.The KVUE video report, however — which ran Thursday night — shows a much closer view of the incident from a front-facing angle. It clearly shows the officer throwing a face punch at a male dressed in an orange shirt, blue jeans, and a backward white baseball cap — and that male falling to the ground and lying flat on his back.Austin police didn't tell KVUE what led up to that punch, but the station said police confirmed it was the incident that resulted in one officer being placed on restricted duty and taken off patrol. The department identified him as Officer Garcia but did not release his first name, citing policy, KVUE reported.You can view that punch at the 24-second mark in the below KVUE video report.RELATED: Video: Texas cop appears to throw single punch — and a male is flat on his back a second later The KVUE video report also notes another incident that same night involving Austin police throwing punches.A KVUE story that ran earlier this week indicated the station received a pair of videos of a second incident "from witnesses at the scene. Both videos show an officer on top of a person, appearing to punch them numerous times. Another officer, who is holding a separate person down, then assists the first officer, putting his knee on the back of the person being held down and appearing to throw a punch at him."Interestingly, a KVUE video report of that second incident shows a male dressed in an orange shirt, blue jeans, and a backward white baseball cap — apparently the same one who was knocked flat on his back in the video of the single-punch incident — standing off to the side and watching the officers punch the male on the ground:RELATED: Texas murder suspect's bail reduced from $800,000 to $200; he's released after paying cash. Gov. Abbott is not happy. In another KVUE story, the station said it obtained documents from the District Court of Travis County revealing more information about what took place in the second incident caught on video.The station said Austin Police Officer Leger was working in the downtown area when he heard a radio call reporting a "physical altercation" outside the Voodoo Room nightclub. With that, Officer Leger and Officer Garcia responded to the scene, where two men reportedly were fighting, KVUE said.The station, citing court documents, reported that Officer Leger tried to break up the fight when he was struck in the back of the head, after which he "executed a controlled takedown maneuver" on one of the men, who allegedly resisted. KVUE noted that the court documents indicate Officer Leger struck the man in the face several times in response.Documents added that a crowd reportedly formed around the officers, and people began throwing objects and pushing and kicking, the station said.KVUE reported that the male accused of attacking Officer Leger was identified as 19-year-old Johnny Acuña-Jacobo, and he was arrested on a charge of assault on a peace officer, a second-degree felony, and booked into the Travis County Jail on a $10,000 bond. The Austin-American Statesman on Tuesday reported that Acuña-Jacobo had been released on bond.RELATED: 69-year-old stabs man in butt after leg press run-in at gym, cops say. Suspect then reportedly yells, 'Who else wants some?' Police previously indicated that an officer was placed on restricted duty but did not state which officer and for which incident.Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis in a statement to KXAN early Saturday said "last night, an Austin police officer struck an individual during a crowd control incident on Sixth Street. After reviewing the video footage, I share the community's concern and take this matter very seriously. The officer has been removed from patrol and placed on restricted duty pending a thorough investigation."Austin Mayor Kirk Watson (D) released the following statement Saturday to KXAN: “I have seen the video of an Austin Police officer on Sixth Street last night. The action is inexcusable and indefensible. There is no room in APD for such violent behavior or for someone who claims to be a public servant and acts that way. I know that Chief Davis will take appropriate action, including action that leads to termination. Again, there is no room for such offensive, ridiculous action."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
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