3 Camden police officers removed from duty over alleged assault caught on video
The officers were responding to a call for a man with the gun. A video shows one of them repeatedly punching a man on the ground while the other two appear to restrain him.
Three Camden County police officers have been removed from street duty while prosecutors investigate a video that shows one of them punching a man on the ground while the other two appear to restrain the man, the department said Tuesday.
The alleged assault occurred Thursday when the officers responded to a call of a man with a gun on the 1300 block of Collings Road in Camden's Fairview section.
The video, broadcast by NBC10, shows the officers approaching the man with their guns drawn. The man has his arms extended when one of the officers grabs him and throws him to the ground. The officer then starts punching the man while the other two appear to hold him down.
Edward Minguela, a 32-year-old Camden resident, told NBC10 he was the man in the video. He said he suffered a fractured wrist when he tried to stop the punches.
"I did nothing wrong to them. I didn't resist. I didn't do nothing," he said on camera, his wrist in a brace.
Officials said Minguela matched the description of the man who reportedly had the gun.
No weapon was found, but Minguela was charged with resisting arrest and obstruction.
Dan Keashen, a spokesman for the Camden County Police Department, said the officers have been removed from street duty while the Camden County Prosecutor's Office investigates.
"The video from the 1300 block of Collings Road is extremely disturbing and is not consistent with our policy, training and standards at the Camden County Police Department," Keashen said. "We are taking this video very seriously and it will be addressed."
The Camden County Police Department operates only in the City of Camden.