"The entire system is broken": Redding police brutality video leaves internet enraged

On January 29, 2023, the Redding Police Department released a response to a video allegedly depicting a case of police brutality in Northern California.

In the footage, a Redding Police officer, whose name has not been disclosed by the department, can be seen assaulting a man during an arrest at a hospice care facility near Willis Avenue. The man was identified as a 39-year-old named Kevin Hursey. According to the Redding Police Department, officers suspected that Kevin Hursey had been attempting to break into cars in the hospice parking lot.

A police spokesperson claimed that officers attempted to de-escalate the situation. To do so, they supposedly only deployed K-9s and non-lethal bean bags after the suspect became aggressive.

However, what enraged netizens the most was that an unnamed officer was accused of stepping on Hursey's head in the aftermath of the arrest. They took to Twitter to express their frustration at the incident, with many stating that the whole system is broken.

A Redding Police Department spokesperson said that the officer allegedly involved in the incident has been placed on administrative leave. The assault is currently under police investigation.

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Netizens and Redding officials comment on the allegations of police brutality

In an official statement, a police spokesperson said that the officers used force because they suspected that Kevin Hursey may have had a weapon.

The statement read:

"According to the reporting party, Hursey attempted to pull something out of his pocket when he was confronted by staff."

It continued:

"Initially two officers were dispatched to the call and contacted the suspect in the parking lot. He was uncooperative with officers, appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance and continued to place his hands in his waistband area as though he was trying to retrieve a weapon."

However, netizens have denied the official account of the narrative, stating that police brutality is often the rule rather than the exception. Some have pointed out that the incident was an example of police brutality, especially since the video showed Kevin surrounded by officers and a K-9.

Another Redditor, Evinceo, said that the use of attack dogs is unethical.

Another infuriated Redditor said that the use of police dogs wasn't just unethical towards the victim, but the dogs as well.

A Twitter user commented that even though the victim was suspected of a crime, there was no need for officers to beat him.

One Reddit user called the Redding authorities "cowards" for using the measures they did.

However, another Redditor countered this. They said that although Redding authorities claimed that they needed reinforcements in the situation, they believe that the police simply enjoyed brutalizing the people they arrested.

Yet another Reddit user argued that the issue is ultimately institutional and added:

The police brutality case and Redding police officers are currently under investigation.

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Police brutality in America

The recent Redding case came on the heels of allegations of police brutality made against Memphis officers. The officers were accused of causing the injuries that led to the death of Tyre Nichols on January 10, 2023.

According to the Guardian, police killings reached a record high across the US in 2022, with at least 1176 deaths linked to officers. The World Population Review reported that worldwide, the US is ranked number seven in terms of the countries with the highest number of police killings with an average of almost 1000 deaths per year.

As of January 30, 2023, American officers have been linked to at least 15 deaths in the first month of the year.