Two Phoenix police officers were placed on paid leave amid an investigation into the violent arrest of a deaf Black man with cerebral palsy that sparked an uproar of outrage and condemnation.
The Phoenix Police Department confirmed Tuesday that officers Benjamin Harris and Kyle Sue were on administrative leave while the agency conducts a formal inquiry into the August arrest of Tyron McAlpin, 34.
Graphic body camera footage of the encounter shows the two officers pummeling McAlpin and shocking him with a Taser repeatedly after he did not comply with their commands. McAlphin faced two counts of aggravated assault on an officer and resisting arrest but those charges were dropped by Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell last week.
Footage of the arrest released at a court hearing was widely scrutinized by local and state officials and human rights advocates.
An internal police department investigation into the violent arrest is pending. The department’s interim chief, Michael Sullivan, said he would personally review that inquiry’s findings.