Police in Kenosha, Wisconsin are under fire after reportedly pepper-spraying a young Black father and his baby at an Applebee’s restaurant, per Insider.

The incident occurred while officers were searching for a hit-and-run suspect, but mistakenly targeted Jermelle English Jr. and his partner Shayna Boyd instead. Video footage shows a bystander pleading for someone to protect the baby as police restrain English. 

Charges of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, obstructing an officer, and possession of marijuana were filed against English and Boyd. The family’s attorney, Kevin O’Connor, has called for an investigation by the Justice Department and for the charges to be dropped. With the experienced trauma that the family has faced they now feel that

“being Black and being out here and having dinner is not safe enough for them,”

O’Connor revealed at a press conference. 

“This was no accident,”

O’Connor said in the press conference.

“What is the first thing that officers are taught? To de-escalate a situation.”

Tanya McLean, executive director of local social justice nonprofit Leaders of Kenosha, criticized the police for not releasing all body camera footage of the incident. The incident, which took place on July 20, coincided with the third anniversary of the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man shot seven times during a traffic stop in Kenosha in 2020. The Kenosha Police Department has not responded to Insider’s requests for comment.

#Clique, what are your thoughts?