On Thursday (April 13), a disturbing video of excessive use of force by a Gwinnett County Police Officer surfaced, prompting national outcry from viewers. According to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, officer Robert McDonald hastily approached a handcuffed man — who was pinned flat on the concrete — and kicked the man in the face.
On Wednesday evening (April 12), the unidentified man was stopped by two Georgia officers for a reported traffic stop. According to an eyewitness account, a person was pulled from a car and forced to the ground. That’s when the second officer acted with physical violence.
The department’s spokesman, Cpl. Deon Washington, later issued a statement on the matter, writing, “What happened yesterday was clearly outside of state law and department policy. We do not tolerate actions that are not consistent with our core values or state law.”
The AJC states that McDonald has been fired after a three-year stint on the force.