A viral video capturing a distressing police encounter in Winter Haven has sparked public outcry and prompted an internal review .
Body camera footage , which has gone viral , showed officers detaining a 27-year-old mother and her 3-year-old daughter at gunpoint outside the American Legion Post last month.
The incident occurred around 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4, according to the Winter Haven Police Department . Police Chief Vance Monroe addressed the public in a press conference alongside local faith leaders, acknowledging the disturbing optics of the encounter and expressing regret that a child was exposed to such trauma .
“Down on the Ground!” — Mother and Child Comply with Armed Officers
The woman , Mariah Banks, told Bay News 9 that she and her daughter Symphony followed police commands to get on the ground, fearing for their lives as multiple officers arrived with guns drawn…