Authorities in New Hampshire said that they had arrested two state troopers and charged them with assault for their actions during a violent arrest captured on video earlier this year.
The arrest occurred after a long police chase that began in Massachusetts and ended in New Hampshire, after which at least two officers were seen on the video repeatedly punching the driver who had led the pursuit.
After video of the incident began to spread online, Joseph Foster, the New Hampshire attorney general, launched a criminal investigation into the episode. The New Hampshire State Police and Massachusetts State Police each pulled a trooper involved in the incident from duty while the investigation was carried out.
On Tuesday, Foster announced that the two troopers — Joseph Flynn, 32, of the Massachusetts State Police, and Andrew Monaco, 31, of the New Hampshire State Police — were arrested and charged with simple assault for their use of force during the arrest.
[Two troopers relieved of duty, criminal probe launched into ‘disturbing’ video of officers punching driver]
Flynn was charged with two counts of simple assault, while Monaco was charged with three counts of simple assault. Both were released on their own recognizance, Foster’s office said. It was not immediately clear if the two men had attorneys. Both are scheduled to be arraigned in September in Nashua.
Foster’s office said that because the two troopers were on-duty law enforcement officers during the incident, their charges could see an enhanced penalty.
Footage of the May 11 chase and arrest emerged during a time of increased scrutiny of how police officers use force, a debate that surged back into the national consciousness in recent weeks after officers shot and killed black men in Louisiana and Minnesota. This topic also involves anxieties faced by police after eight officers were fatally shot in Dallas and, this week, Baton Rouge — one by an attacker who specifically said he was enraged by police killings.
The arrest occurred after a long police chase that began in Massachusetts and ended in New Hampshire, after which at least two officers were seen on the video repeatedly punching the driver who had led the pursuit.
After video of the incident began to spread online, Joseph Foster, the New Hampshire attorney general, launched a criminal investigation into the episode. The New Hampshire State Police and Massachusetts State Police each pulled a trooper involved in the incident from duty while the investigation was carried out.
On Tuesday, Foster announced that the two troopers — Joseph Flynn, 32, of the Massachusetts State Police, and Andrew Monaco, 31, of the New Hampshire State Police — were arrested and charged with simple assault for their use of force during the arrest.
[Two troopers relieved of duty, criminal probe launched into ‘disturbing’ video of officers punching driver]
Flynn was charged with two counts of simple assault, while Monaco was charged with three counts of simple assault. Both were released on their own recognizance, Foster’s office said. It was not immediately clear if the two men had attorneys. Both are scheduled to be arraigned in September in Nashua.
Foster’s office said that because the two troopers were on-duty law enforcement officers during the incident, their charges could see an enhanced penalty.
Footage of the May 11 chase and arrest emerged during a time of increased scrutiny of how police officers use force, a debate that surged back into the national consciousness in recent weeks after officers shot and killed black men in Louisiana and Minnesota. This topic also involves anxieties faced by police after eight officers were fatally shot in Dallas and, this week, Baton Rouge — one by an attacker who specifically said he was enraged by police killings.
not good. I'll tell you a short story that is similar. It was 1995, I was in Fall River, Massachusetts with a friend at another one of our friends houses. So the kid we were friends with, one of his sisters came home with some guy she was dating. We asked the for a ride to Providence and they said yes. Fast forward, we were on the highway, state trooper pulls us over. He gets to the car, the driver starts to roll down his window and boom takes off! WTF are you doing? It's then that he tells us he stole the car!!!! As we took off, cop through his flashlight through the back window (in the moment I thought he was shooting at us!) Chase ensues quite a distance (I think we ended up in Rehobeth, Mass), like something you would see on TV...towards the end, lost rubber, sparks everywhere, etc...finally car dies and there what seems like 100 cop cars now. When we got out of car, they cuffed us all of course, but took some pretty good shots at us (mostly kicks). I am not saying what the cops did was right, it is not. I am just telling the story to once again proves it has nothing to do with the color of your skin.
By the way, I spent 2 days in New Bedford County Jail and then got out. Never went to court or anything. Around 1999, living in CT, I told my Wife that I should take care of this, do not want to be driving or something in Mass and have a warrant for my arrest. Contacted an attorney there, he went in with me, had to pay a small fine and that was it. (cause I didn't steal the car or do anything wrong, just never went back to court)
Kansas police officer shot by 3 suspects........
According to the police statement, officers were originally called to the scene at around 1:35 p.m. after a 911 caller reported that at least three people were shooting at him from a vehicle. The suspects fled when officers arrived, and one of them was arrested at the scene.
The unidentified officer was shot approximately 20 minutes after the initial call, while trying to make contact with a second suspect.
The Kansas City Star reported that police swarmed the area where the shooting took place, some of them holding rifles. Several officers took cover behind cars.
According to the police statement, officers were originally called to the scene at around 1:35 p.m. after a 911 caller reported that at least three people were shooting at him from a vehicle. The suspects fled when officers arrived, and one of them was arrested at the scene.
The unidentified officer was shot approximately 20 minutes after the initial call, while trying to make contact with a second suspect.
The Kansas City Star reported that police swarmed the area where the shooting took place, some of them holding rifles. Several officers took cover behind cars.
Its only gonna get worse.......
Update:
Officer in Kansas City died in the hospital......
Officer in Kansas City died in the hospital......
A Kansas City, Kan. police officer was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon while responding to a reported drive-by shooting.
Officials said Capt. Robert David Melton, 46, was pronounced dead at University of Kansas Hospital at 2:55 p.m. local time.
Later Tuesday, authorities said the suspected shooter was caught about a block away from where Melton was shot. The suspect was being questioned along with a second person suspected in the initial drive-by. A third person who had been taken into custody was determined not to have been involved and was released, police said.
"There's a lot of pain and brokenness in our community and our nation right now, and we just want to ask everyone to be prayerful and thoughtful right now," Mayor Mark Holland of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County said.
Tuesday marked the second time this year that a Kansas City, Kan., police officer had been shot in the line of duty. Detective Brad Lancaster, 39, was shot and killed near Kansas Speedway during a violent crime spree on May 9. Melton had been part of the police honor guard at Lancaster's funeral.
Chief Terry Zeigler tweeted news of the shooting just after 2 p.m.
Officials said Capt. Robert David Melton, 46, was pronounced dead at University of Kansas Hospital at 2:55 p.m. local time.
Later Tuesday, authorities said the suspected shooter was caught about a block away from where Melton was shot. The suspect was being questioned along with a second person suspected in the initial drive-by. A third person who had been taken into custody was determined not to have been involved and was released, police said.
"There's a lot of pain and brokenness in our community and our nation right now, and we just want to ask everyone to be prayerful and thoughtful right now," Mayor Mark Holland of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County said.
Tuesday marked the second time this year that a Kansas City, Kan., police officer had been shot in the line of duty. Detective Brad Lancaster, 39, was shot and killed near Kansas Speedway during a violent crime spree on May 9. Melton had been part of the police honor guard at Lancaster's funeral.
Chief Terry Zeigler tweeted news of the shooting just after 2 p.m.
