Pittsburgh police, claiming they were prompted by community concerns, have asked an independent use-of-force expert to investigate after a city police officer was filmed striking a woman in handcuffs during a drug-related arrest.
A Pittsburgh police spokeswoman on Thursday said the male officer, who she did not name, struck Angel Bradford, 28, once in the face on Wednesday evening after she resisted arrest in the city’s Homewood neighborhood.
The Pittsburgh Citizen Police Review Board also is investigating the incident.
Officers were dispatched around 7 p.m. to the 7200 block of Forest Way following “community complaints of drug use in an abandoned structure,” police spokeswoman Cara Cruz said Thursday in a prepared statement.
Bradford attempted to run away when she saw officers approach, Cruz said. Police caught her in a nearby field.
At least four officers are visible in the video huddling around Bradford and a man in handcuffs.
Calvin Everette, 54, was arrested in the incident, according to online court records.
Bodyworn camera footage showed officers walking Bradford to a marked police SUV, Cruz said.
An officer tells Bradford “Let go of my leg” before striking her in the face, according to Cruz.
Camera footage also showed Bradford “continuing to offer resistance” as officers tried to put her in the police vehicle, Cruz said.
“Stop trying to bite me,” she quoted an officer as saying.
Police did not name Everette or the other officers in the video.
In a roughly 90-second video of the incident posted online, Bradford can be heard saying, “I want a cigarette” before being hit.
The video shows an officer lashing out with his arm, but the contact with Bradford is obscured.
“You just hit her!” a man off camera said after the punch. “I’ve got him on camera hitting her in the mouth.”
Later in the video, the man filming the incident speaks with Officer Benjamin Pettenati, whose name and badge number are visible.
“We’re going to have an officer and a supervisor come around,” he tells the man.
Pittsburgh police said they reviewed the incident internally — standard practice when any officer uses force.
Community concerns prompted the bureau to ask a Pennsylvania State Police use-of-force expert to “determine the appropriateness of the force applied,” Cruz said.
A state police spokesman did not return a phone call or email Thursday seeking comment.
“We want to assure our residents that we take all situations involving use of force seriously,” Cruz said. “There will be a thorough and impartial investigation into this incident.”
Cruz declined additional comment, referring questions back to her prepared statement.
The head of the police review board said the group opened a probe into the incident after an investigator saw the video on social media.
“I can’t say very much because I don’t know very much,” Elizabeth Pittinger, the board’s executive director, told TribLive Thursday. “But she was restrained. No, he doesn’t get to hit her. That’s called immature and unprofessional.”
The head of Pittsburgh’s police union Thursday declined to discuss the matter.
“I don’t know any details of this case at all,” said Robert Swartzwelder, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 1. “It’s internal. And, per our contract, we’re not supposed to talk about that.”
Police charged Bradford with two counts each of aggravated assault and tampering with evidence, and one count each of drug possession, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and evading police.
She was arraigned and taken to the Allegheny County Jail, court records show. She was released after posting bond. Her attorney was not listed Thursday in court records.
Her preliminary hearing is set for April 27.
Everette was charged with obstruction and two drug charges. He later was released, court records show. His hearing is set for May 5.