3 Arkansas law enforcement officers suspended after video captures violent beating of shoeless man

Three Arkansas law enforcement officers — two Crawford County deputies and a Mulberry police officer — were suspended Sunday following outrage over a video posted on social media appearing to show them savagely beating a shoeless man, including slamming his heading the concrete. The Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division is investigating the incident, which took place at about 10:30 a.m. on Sunday outside a convenience store in the town of Mulberry.

The woman who filmed the police beating sent it to her sister in Oklahoma, Naomi Johnson, who posted it on social media. Johnson said her sister told her that before violence, the shoeless man, who appeared to be in mental distress, was sitting on the curb talking to law enforcement officers, stood up and appeared set to run away, and was tackled by the officers, the Arkansas Times repots.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.