A police officer in the Seattle area has been taken off active duty after video appeared to show him repeatedly punching a shirtless suspect in the head while holding him down in the middle of a busy roadway.
Andrew Bryant, an officer with the Auburn Police Department, was placed on administrative leave after footage captured the confrontation during a violent arrest Wednesday afternoon.
The video shows Bryant straddling the suspect and striking his head and face for more than 20 seconds as motorists remained stopped nearby and watched the incident unfold.
The force of the blows left the officer with significant injuries to his hands, according to police.
The encounter has triggered an independent criminal investigation by the neighboring Renton Police Department, in addition to an internal review by Auburn police.
Relatives identified the suspect as Mauro Alberto Felix Valles. Police said he had been moving through traffic and trying to enter passing vehicles before officers arrived.
An 18-minute police video shows the shirtless man crossing multiple lanes while drivers slow down and maneuver around him.
Bryant is then seen walking toward Valles in the roadway while repeatedly ordering him to stop and get on the ground.
Shirtless suspect Mauro Alberto Felix Valles walks through heavy traffic in Auburn, Washington, after police said he tried to enter passing cars, leading officers to respond
Officer Andrew Bryant approaches Valles in the roadway, repeatedly commanding him to get down and warning that he could be shocked with a Taser
Bryant aims his Taser at Valles and fires, sending the suspect to the pavement
‘Hey, you’re under arrest. Get on the ground! Do it now! Get on the ground! Hey!’ the officer shouts.
When Valles keeps moving, Bryant issues another warning.
‘Hey, get on the ground right now! Are you going to get tased?’
Valles does not comply, and Bryant deploys his Taser, causing him to fall to the ground.
Instead of ending the encounter, however, the arrest quickly turns into a physical struggle.
Bryant climbs onto Valles and tries to pull his arms behind his back so he can apply handcuffs.
Valles appears to twist and resist as the officer attempts to restrain him. Bryant then begins striking the suspect repeatedly in the head and face.
A nearby traffic camera captures Bryant seated on top of Valles as he repeatedly drives his fists toward the man’s head.
Valles is pinned face down on the road after Bryant fires his Taser and attempts to handcuff him, but police say the suspect continued to struggle and resist arrest
Traffic camera footage shows Bryant straddling Valles and repeatedly punching him in the head as the two struggle in the middle of the road
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Bryant continues raining down punches on Valles for more than 20 seconds, striking him with such force that the officer later required hospital treatment for injuries to his hands
Bodycam footage from the officer sees Valles struggling with Bryant in the middle of the road
At one stage, the officer’s body-worn camera falls off although it continues recording audio and the exertion with which Bryant is raining down blows upon Valles can be heard.
Another camera captures the violent confrontation from above, showing the officer continuing to strike the man as he lies on the road.
The suspect can be heard shouting as the struggle continues, with Bryant staying on top of him until additional officers arrive.
Bodycam footage shows it ultimately took four officers to bring the man under control and secure him in handcuffs.
Even after being restrained, the man continued screaming and resisting, prompting firefighters to attend the scene to help calm him.
Both the suspect and Bryant were subsequently taken to local hospitals for evaluations.
Bryant required medical attention for his hands following the confrontation.
Police initially said the man did not appear to have suffered serious injuries, although his relatives have since claimed he sustained a concussion and other physical injuries.
Police bodycam footage captures a close-up of Valles lying on the road during the violent arrest, which his family says left him with a concussion and other injuries
Four officers were needed to handcuff Valles, while Bryant was subsequently placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into his use of force
Valles’ family has said he was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of the confrontation.
Police booked him on allegations of non-felony drug possession, disorderly conduct, obstruction and attempted assault.
He subsequently posted bond and was released from custody on Thursday. As of Friday, prosecutors had not filed formal criminal charges against him.
The Auburn Police Department released body-worn camera, dashboard camera and traffic surveillance recordings following the encounter.
‘We understand the concern surrounding the October 28 incident,’ the department said in a statement.
‘The officer involved in the incident on Auburn Way North and 37th ST NE was placed on administrative leave yesterday pending a full investigation.’
Police insisted they were treating the allegations seriously.
‘The Auburn Police Department takes all officer-involved incidents seriously and treats these investigations with the utmost urgency.’
‘We are committed to conducting a thorough and impartial investigation, maintaining transparency throughout the process, and ensuring fair treatment for everyone involved.’