CANTON, Ohio — It's a video that has many in Canton talking, and now, thanks to the release of the bodycam footage, we are seeing what took place before an officer kicked 21-year-old Jaemiir McElroy the night of Aug. 24.
Attorney Bobby DiCello, who represents McElroy, provided News 5 with a copy of the video that someone in the complex shot with a cell phone that night.
In that video, you can see McElroy on his knees with his hands in the air when an officer runs in and kicks him in the chest. The force of the officer's leg drops McElroy onto his back onto the pavement.
On Monday, the Canton Police chief released a statement regarding the incident, saying the department was aware of a video circulating on social media involving an officer kicking a man during an arrest in the 1800 Block of Morris Ave NE in which an officer kicked an individual.
The arrest
On Aug. 24, around 8:30 p.m., a resident reported an argument involving 10-15 individuals in the 1800 block of Morris Ave NE. Several officers responded, including detectives from the Coordinated Response Team, who had received information related to gun violence in the Mahoning Manor complex.
When officers arrived, multiple people fled from the scene, and police engaged in two foot pursuits. One person was carrying a firearm visible to the pursuing officer, and the pursuit ended without an arrest.
Other responding officers encountered a group of men and ordered them to the ground. The group appeared to be complying when Officer Brandon Momirov kicked McElroy in the chest. The group was then taken into custody. Officers recovered two Glock 9mm pistols on the scene.
A backpack containing a large amount of marijuana, money and scales was recovered in a nearby vehicle.
Officer Mormirov's body camera video shows that when officers arrived, they began to take into custody several people fleeing the scene of the reported fight.
The bodycam video of another Canton police officer shows him arriving alone at the complex and telling dispatch several people are running.
The officer draws his gun as he encounters a group of people in a parking lot. The officer asks for more officers to respond to his location and tells a group of men to stay where they are.
"I got five at gunpoint in this parking lot not really complying; I could use more units," the officer said to dispatch.
Momirov was one of the officers who arrived a short time later. Momirov could be seen running toward the call for backup, and when he approaches McElroy, you can see what appears to be his leg rise and strike McElroy.
"There just does not appear or look to be any reason for any type of aggression towards that subject," said Tim Dimoff, a law enforcement and security expert, who reviewed the tape for us.
"The only time an officer might use a kick is if they're involved in a confrontation where there's aggression and or maybe a weapon, Dimoff said. "Then we're talking about a totally different scenario than this scenario."
Dimoff said he would like to see what Momirov's incident report says.
"You know, what did he hear and what did he see that caused him to go into an aggressive mode?" said Dimoff.
DiCello says McElroy suffered a concussion the night of the incident.
"I know, after viewing the video, that my client is on his knees," Dicello said.
He added, "Let me put it this way: law enforcement work is a professional job. It's not thuggery. It's not being a bouncer. It's a professional job."
Dicello called the officer's actions against McElroy a complete failure of the Canton Police Department's leadership. Dicello says training matters.
The department is currently reviewing Momirov's actions.
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