cop curb stomps man
© The Free Thought Project
A video submitted to the Free Thought Project over the weekend paints a disturbing image of police in Columbus, Ohio. In the video, a cop is seen 'curb-stomping' a man as he lays face down on the concrete in handcuffs.

According to the Columbus Police department, the man being assaulted in the video is Demarco Anderson. He was accused by police of having fired a weapon at a nearby house. However, nothing he could've done justifies what happened to him once he was placed in handcuffs.

As the video begins, one officer appears to have the man under control as he puts handcuffs on the soon-to-be victim. After the cuffs go on, that's when a second officer comes running up and stomps his face into the curb.

According to our source for the video, police were looking for Anderson for suspicion of firing a gun in the area. When they approached him, he ran.

After a brief foot chase, Anderson was tasered, fell to the ground, and then placed in handcuffs. The video begins after the tasering.

After the cop stomped on Anderson's face, he starts looking around. At that moment, the officers realize they were just recorded committing a crime.

"Can I help you?" asks the cop, in an obvious attempt at intimidating the man filming. However, he did not back down and continued to record.

After police needlessly assaulted Anderson, he tries to explain that he was running because one of the officers pulled out a gun and he got scared. He then accused the officers of planting drugs on his person as well.

Police claim to have found crack cocaine and a pistol on Anderson.

Whether or not that is true is unknown. However, it should be noted that police have been caught plenty of times planting drugs and guns on entirely innocent people.

According to our open records request to the CPD, Anderson was charged with Improperly Discharging Firearm at or Into Habitation, Having Weapons While Under Disability, Obstructing Official Business, Resisting Arrest _ causing physical harm to law enforcement officer, Aggravated Menacing, and Possession of Drugs.

The Free Thought Project contacted the Columbus Police Department to alert them to the presence of the video and to ask for a statement. Below is a statement given to the Free Thought Project by the CPD's Public Information Unit.
Based on what we see in the video taken on Saturday April 8, 2017, the action taken by one of our officers does not meet the standards by the Columbus Division of Police. It appears to be inconsistent with the values and training we instill in our officers.

The officer self-reported a kick to the suspect while the suspect was in custody.

We'll learn more as the investigation continues and take appropriate actions based on the facts gathered.

The officer has been temporarily reassigned.
Whether or not Anderson is guilty of the crimes he's been arrested for has yet to be determined. However, if he is guilty, his case is now tainted because of this officer's choice to stomp his face into the ground.