Nov. 14 (UPI) — The Oklahoma City Police Department has placed one of its officers on administrative leave after body camera footage shows him throwing a 70-year-old man to the ground following a traffic ticket dispute.
Lich Vu was hospitalized for “serious injuries” following the Oct. 27 incident. The video was posted on Facebook by the Oklahoma City Police Department.
Thuan Nguyen, president-elect of the Vietnamese American Community of Oklahoma, said he visited Vu in the hospital last week and that he was on a feeding tube after suffering a brain bleed and neck injury, according to USA Today .
“In our community, we want to make sure we see justice in that these things don’t happen to another person,” Nguyen said.
The police department put officer Joseph Gibson on leave pending an investigation, the results of which will be presented to the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office.
“The Oklahoma City Police Department is dedicated to transparency and accountability,” the agency said in a statement . “We want our community to know that this case is being thoroughly investigated and the review process will take time to complete. We ask for your patience as we work to conclude this investigation.”