A Florida officer was placed on restrictive duty this week after he was filmed using excessive force on a black teenager.
The incident took place Thursday afternoon near J.P. Taravella High School in Coral Springs, Florida. Cellphone footage shows Broward County sheriff’s deputy Christopher Krickovich jumping on the boy before slamming his head against the pavement as another individual laid on the ground in handcuffs.
15 yr old Black boy, Lucca picked up a cell phone that fell out of the pocket of a Black boy who was being arrested. In response @browardsheriff officers Christopher Krickovich & Greg LaCerra pepper sprayed, brutally beat, and arrested him.
He broke no laws.#JusticeForLucca pic.twitter.com/RQLj38GYGN
— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) April 20, 2019
Civil rights activist Shaun King shared the video on social media, along with others who identified the young man as 15-year-old Lucca.
The incident resulted in the arrest of two teenagers. One of the boys, who was said to be 15, was charged with simple assault and resisting arrest without violence; the other was reportedly released to his mom, as he had no criminal history.
Shortly after the graphic video was posted online, the hashtag #JusticeforLucca began trending. Many Twitter users began calling on Florida officials to take disciplinary action.
So wrong!! Hurts me to my soul!! To think that could be my sons. 🤦🏾♂️😢. Scary times man https://t.co/tRxk6sV7sb
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 20, 2019
What the hell is wrong with our country? This is insane yet routine. So demoralizing. https://t.co/bXxFoKrXY9
— Steve Kerr (@SteveKerr) April 20, 2019
The law enforcement arrived on the scene after receiving a report of a fight. Krickovich wrote in a police report that the altercation had ended as he and other officers approached. It was at that time he spotted a teenager who had been warned against trespassing in the area.
“While I was dealing with the male on the ground, I observed his phone slide to the right of me and then behind me,” Krickovich wrote. “I observed a teen wearing a red tank top reach down and attempt to grab the male student’s phone. [The teen] took an aggressive stance, bladed his body and began clenching his fists.”
Krickovich wrote that he had feared for his safety.
Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony told that a “thorough investigation” into the incident will take place.
Lucca’s next court date is May 17th and we want his charges dropped immediately @browardsheriff. He wasn’t resisting he was protecting himself from an unhinged deputy that was smashing his face into the pavement. #JusticeForLucca pic.twitter.com/QuLHSnO6Fc
— SLIM PHATTY (@SLIMPHATTY) April 20, 2019
