News helicopter records deputies beating man in Southern California

published 10 April 2015

A news helicopter caught deputies arresting and then beating a man after a chase on horseback in Apple Valley, California.

The strange pursuit began Thursday afternoon, when authorities say a search warrant was served at a home in the area. The suspect fled in a vehicle, ditched the car several miles away, and then stole a horse, injuring the animal as they rode through rugged terrain. When deputies caught up to the suspect — identified as Francis Jared Pusok, 30, of Apple Valley — he was thrown off the horse and hit with a Taser. Authorities say the Taser did not work because of his loose clothes, and a use of force occurred.

NBC Los Angeles' NewsChopper 4 was covering the chase, and was able to record the arrest and subsequent use of force as it happened. The station estimates that Pusok was kicked 17 times, punched 37 times, and hit with batons four times in the two minutes after he was hit with the Taser. The video does not appear to show Pusok receiving medical treatment, and he is now hospitalized with unknown injuries. Three deputies also received medical attention — two for dehydration, and one for injuries sustained after being kicked by the horse.

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San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon has ordered an immediate internal investigation. "I can certainly understand the concerns in the community based on what they saw on the video," he told NBC Los Angeles. "I'm disturbed by what I see in the video. But I don't need to jump to conclusions at this point, until we do a complete and throughout investigation. If our deputy sheriffs did something wrong, they'll be put off work and they'll be dealt with appropriately, all in accordance with the law as well as our department policy."

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.