“They traumatized that boy over a bag of chips!”: Social Media outraged after young boy gets detained by Syracuse officers for allegedly stealing food
Syracuse cops are being accused of “terrorizing” an 8-year-old boy after he was suspected of stealing from a convenience store. The shocking video has made its rounds online and now social media users have been left outraged.
In the video, taken by a bystander and posted Monday on Twitter, has been viewed over 2.5 million times. It shows a white male cop holding a Black child’s arms behind his back. The young boy can be seen bawling his eyes out as the cop directs him to the back of a police car as two other officers just look on. In the background, you can hear 37-year-old bystander Kenneth Jackson asking, “What is y’all doing? He looks like a baby to me,” Syracuse.com quotes. One cop replies, “He’s stealing stuff” to which the man responds, “I’ll pay for it. Leave him alone.” The Syracuse Police Department later said in a statement the incident is now under investigation by the Syracuse police Department: “We are aware of a video being shared on social media involving several of our Officers and juveniles accused of stealing from a store on the City’s Northside. The incident, including the Officers’ actions and body-worn cameras, are being reviewed.” The statement also said, “There is some misinformation involving this case. The juvenile suspected of larceny was not placed in handcuffs. He was placed in the rear of a patrol unit, where he was directly brought home. Officers met with the child’s father and no charges were filed.”
Still, the entire incident has also sparked upsetting reactions online. Many social media users are outraged with how the officers handled the young boy. One Twitter user said, “They traumatized that little boy over a bag of chips? Unbelievable.” Another said, “Not saying there shouldn’t be any consequences, but when people steal food it’s because they’re hungry. Feed him and address the stealing a different way than putting him in cuffs, SMH.” A third added that cops should’ve talked “it over with him, take him to his parents, and have some ****ing compassion…”
RELATED: Boy Arrested After Causing Three Fires In Neighborhood
Mayor Ben Walsh has also released a statement saying he was concerned when he was first saw a video of Syracuse police officers placing the young Black boy in the back of a police cruiser following the incident. “The officer knew the child from prior interactions and explained to him that he was being taken home,” Walsh said. “The officers returned the child to his family and discussed the incident with his father before leaving without filing any charges.” From there, the mayor has asked Syracuse Police Chief Ken Buckner and the department to review all body worn camera footage of the incident. “What occurred demonstrates the continuing need for the city to provide support to our children and families and to invest in alternative response options to assist our officers,” Walsh said.
Press Play Below For More:
RELATED: Boy Arrested For Stealing A School Bus And Crashes It During Police Chase