The agency that investigates allegations of police misconduct in Chicago is looking into a newly posted viral video that shows a police officer kicking a man in the head.
The Chicago Police Department said they have asked that the incident, which was caught on camera and has been seen thousands of times on Facebook, be investigated by the Independent Police Review Authority.
"Upon viewing the video, Superintendent Johnson immediately asked the Independent Police Review Authority to investigate the matter while the department gathers more information about the case," the department said in a statement.
Footage showing an officer attempting to arrest a suspect running from police in the city’s Lawndale neighborhood begins with the pair struggling on the ground in the 3900 block of West Grenshaw.
Witnesses say the man was running from police and appeared to be resisting arrest when the officer took the man to the ground.
“He was running from police, they had him face down on the ground,” said witness Dre Powell. “Started whopping him.”
Another officer arrives on scene and at one point kicks the man in the face.
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“The officer came over there and kicked him in the face,” said Terrance Hobson, who took the video.
The footage was posted to Facebook Monday afternoon, where it quickly garnered more than 180,000 views and more than 9,700 shares in a matter of four hours.
The man, who family members identified as 24-year-old Shaquille O'Neil, was knocked unconscious and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital for treatment, according to the Chicago Fire Department. The hospital said he was listed in fair condition Monday evening.
The Chicago Police Department said it is aware of the video and still gathering information on what happened.
"The Chicago Police Department holds its members to the highest possible professional standards with a priority on treating all Chicagoans with respect," the statement read.
It was not immediately known why police were chasing the man or if any charges would be filed.
“I don’t know what he did, the guy they were detaining,” said Hobson. “But everybody seen what you did. That was wrong too.”
