Two Mississippi police officers have been dismissed after an alleged violent encounter with a Black man. The two officers could face additional charges. James Barnett, 36, shared graphic images of his injuries on Facebook after claiming he was attacked by the officers.
He told ABC News that he had been pulled over for turning his car around before reaching a vehicle checkpoint. After a short chase, the officers told him to get on the ground then they started kicking him.
They also gave him a second round of beatings after transporting him to receive medical treatment.
“I’ve never been so afraid in my life,” Barnett wrote in the Facebook post. “I will not let this go, I don’t [want] this to happen to anyone else. There is no justice in what they did to me!! But I will get JUSTICE!!”
The Laurel Police Department fired the two officers a day after the department’s Internal Affairs started their investigation.
“The Officers and Administration of LPD take these types of allegations very seriously,” the Laurel Police Department said in a statement to ABC News. “It should be noted that the IA [internal affairs] was initiated only hours after the incident occurred before any media attention, social media posts or even a formal complaint from the individual involved.”
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigations (MBI) has been in contact with the Laurel Police Department about charging the two officers, who still remain unnamed.
You may like
Read More
Get The Essence Newsletter and Special Offers delivered to your inbox!