A video circulating widely online shows a San Bernardino police officer forcefully body-slamming a 17-year-old girl named Erin. The teenage girl was partially handcuffed and sent face-first into the pavement. The incident took place on May 21 near a grocery store on West 2nd Street after police responded to reports of trespassing and a fight.
Erin and her family held a press conference Sunday, where she described her injuries and pain. “My whole body hurts, my head, my face, my wrist. I’m not the same anymore,” Erin shared.
Her mother, Tanya Brownridge, expressed frustration over the medical care and San Bernardino police response. “She’s still hurting, and we want justice. They let her bleed for hours before treating her properly.”
The video shows the officer restraining Erin before slamming her to the ground. Erin’s grandmother, Rhonda Taylor, spoke out, condemning the officer’s actions. “She’s a child. Seeing her blood by the police car is heartbreaking,” Taylor said.
Erin’s family insists she and her friends were attacked first inside the store, but police wrongly targeted Erin. The San Bernardino Police Department responded on social media, stating the officer attempted to handcuff her, but she resisted and tried to walk away, prompting a takedown maneuver. They emphasized that the use of force depends on behavior, not age or race.
Per ABC 7, the family is urging California Attorney General Rob Bonta to conduct an independent investigation into the San Bernardino police officer responsible. “We just want the truth and for those responsible to be held accountable,” Brownridge said.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?