MANSFIELD, Ohio — A video showing a man being arrested in Mansfield is sparking concern online. While the man involved said he did nothing wrong, police say there’s still more to the story.
David Brown is still reeling from what happened to him the morning of April 11.
“They just came onto the porch [and] forcefully arrested me,” said Brown.
Brown said he was smoking on his girlfriend’s porch around 3 a.m., when officers drove up.
“They approach asking me to step off the porch, and I tell them, like, 'No, what did I do wrong?' They not answering any questions,” said Brown.
Doorbell camera footage captures the moment David was arrested. In the video, officers ask Brown to take his hands out of his pockets and step off the porch. When he asks, "For what?" one officer responds, "Because I said so."
After asking Brown to step off the porch several times, just ten seconds later, he was pinned to the ground. In the video, you hear him repeatedly ask, "Why?" He said he received no answer—until officers told him he was loitering.
“Said that I was loitering in a suspicious drug crime area, and I told him, I stay here and they just kept saying, who are you? Who are you,” said Brown.
Brown refused to give his name. During the arrest, his girlfriend, Ziaire Petty, came down after hearing the commotion, but she said there was little communication between her and the officers.
“They was like, who is this? And he (Brown) just said, ‘I don’t have to tell you who I am’. And then he said, 'Zaire, call my mom,'” said Petty.
Police said when they checked, a warrant for Brown's arrest had been issued back in July in Richland County. Brown told us that it was for drug possession. It is unclear if Mansfield officers knew about the warrant before they approached Brown.
“At least come up and ask is this where you stay at ask for some ID, but even then, I still don't have to give it to you. But I wasn't committing any crime. I was just sitting on my porch chilling,” said Brown.
The Mansfield Police Department said they are reviewing the arrest and issued the following statement:
“To the Citizens of Mansfield, We are aware of a video currently circulating online that shows Mansfield Police Officers arresting an individual on a residential porch. We understand that the video may raise concerns. However, it is important to recognize that the circulating clip reflects only a short portion of a larger incident. As with all incidents involving use of force, a full and thorough review is already underway. Our review includes all available evidence—this includes the full body-worn camera footage, officer reports, and witness statements—to ensure a complete and accurate understanding of what occurred. We ask for your patience as we work through this process. Once the review is complete, we are committed to releasing the findings and providing transparency to our community. Thank you for your continued support and understanding.
In an effort to get the full picture, we went to the Mansfield Police Department to speak with the chief. We also called for four days straight and sent multiple emails requesting both the body camera and dash cam footage. As of now, nothing has been released.
Brown said he has since posted bail after Mansfield Police charged him with resisting arrest and obstruction. He also said he hopes this incident leads to real change within the police department, and how situations like his are handled.
“They need to be fired.” Brown continued, “They don't even have to apologize, but they just shouldn't be having no, like, power over people, because they take it from so far advantage.”
You can watch the raw Ring camera footage below.
Viewer discretion is advised: the following video contains distressing visuals.
