San Bernardino Officer Body-Slams Handcuffed Teenager Amid Abuse Claims

A viral video captured a Southern California police officer body-slamming a 17-year-old girl named Erin, who was partially handcuffed, causing her to hit the pavement face-first during an arrest at a San Bernardino grocery store. Erin's family and community have condemned the use of force, highlighting her injuries, which include a cut requiring stitches, a scrape, a dislocated wrist, and ongoing pain, and they have called for justice and an independent investigation. The San Bernardino Police Department stated the officer used a takedown maneuver after Erin resisted handcuffing and attempted to walk away. Erin and her family maintain she was targeted unfairly, asserting that she and her friends were attacked by another group and not the aggressors. Civil rights attorney Toni Jaramilla, representing Erin's family, criticized the department's history of excessive force and called for the California Attorney General to intervene for a transparent investigation. The family held a press conference with community leaders demanding accountability and police reform following the incident.