A school resource officer assigned to Vance County Middle School in Henderson, North Carolina has been fired after he allegedly assaulted one of the students.
According to Buzzfeed, surveillance footage caught the unnamed officer walking down the hall with an 11-year-old boy. It then shows the officer grabbing the boy and slamming him to the ground.
The middle school student doesn’t get up before the officer slams him on the ground again, picks him up, and continues to drag him down the hallway. On December 16, HLN released the footage on their Twitter account. (Warning: The below video may be hard for some to watch.)
As CBS17 reports, a complaint against the officer was made on December 13 and he was put on leave while being investigated. John Miles, a pastor in Henderson and the 11-year-old’s grandfather, told CBS 17 that his grandson, who only weighs about 70 pounds, was knocked unconscious by the officer.
Grandfather Speaks After 11-Year-Old Is Assaulted by School Resource Officer
“He could have killed my grandson. He could have paralyzed my grandson. An eleven-year-old kid being thrown around like this here, has taken a toll on his body and his mind and his spirit.”
Days after the State Bureau of Investigation took over, Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame revealed that the officer was no longer employed. “We went over and when we first saw the video, we were stunned, we were shocked. We all are parents and grandparents that have children at that same age, so it brought some great concern to us.”
As to why the former officer assaulted the boy in the first place is still unclear. Miles told CBS 17, “My grandson was walking in the hall, and the SRO said something to him. And, the next thing he knows, he was being thrown against the wall.”
So far, no charges have been filed against the former SRO. Vance County District Attorney Mike Waters said a decision will be made after the extent of the boy’s injuries are revealed and the investigation has concluded.
And Superintendent Dr. Anthony Jackson admitted to being embarrassed by the way one of his students was treated by the officer. “We’re disappointed. As a community, we’re embarrassed. And, most of all, we want to express our apologies.”
The 11-year-old is now recovering at home. Miles said in a separate interview with WRAL, “I don’t care what happened. My grandson should never have been attacked by a grown man that we trust in law enforcement.”
He continued, “As a pastor, I have to forgive him. I have no choice. But I still want justice done. As a grandfather, I’m just hurt right now.”
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