Coalitions, Community Leaders Gather in ‘Unity Against Police Brutality’

PALMDALE, CA, July 14 (KNN) — Coalitions and community leaders gathered for a press conference at the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station late Friday morning to speak out against police brutality in light of Sheriff Luna’s release of bodycam footage showing use of force by a deputy on a mother of an infant during a traffic stop in Lancaster on July 13, 2022.

Pastor V. Jesse Smith, Chair of the African American Leadership Council in the Antelope Valley and also co-founder of the Community Action League, began the press conference and was joined by Waunette Cullors (Trustee), activists Pharaoh Mitchell, Ansar Muhammad, Raycine Ector, Ayinde Love, and Pastor Brian Johnson.

The focus of Friday’s press conference was to present solutions and recommendations to reform the sheriff’s department and “to hold folks who are in leadership positions accountable,” said Smith.

On Wednesday, July 13, 2022, Palmdale sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for what was reported as driving at night without headlights. The vehicle was occupied by a male driver along with four women and three infants held by their mothers.

“The officers claimed to smell alcohol coming from the vehicle, this is a common tactic used by law enforcement to further arrest their will upon community members,” stated the press release for Friday’s press conference.

The officers proceeded to arrest the women and the male driver for child endangerment. During the arrest, one of the mothers begged in tears for a moment with her child before taking the infant.

“The officers responded by saying with malice say if she didn’t release the child in that moment they would forcefully take her by pealing her arms away and snatching the baby,” according to the press release.

Body camera footage captures officers aggressively approaching another mother ordering her to give her child to them.

“She explains she does not have custody of the child as she calls out for loved one’s to take the child instead,” the press release states.

“She refuses to give the child over and expresses that she does not feel safe being that her child is Black and Hispanic going in the hands of law enforcement,” according to the press release.

“At this point, the officers attempt to brutally take the child all the way the point of a grown man repeatedly punching the mother in the face. At no point in the encounters were de-escalation tactics used to calm the mothers or ensure them the children would be safe,” stated the press release.

A complete investigation is underway and the FBI is also looking into the incident.

Anthony Cheval, Video Journalist / KNN