An officer from the Wildwood Police Department in New Jersey has been charged with assault after bodycam footage showed him punching a woman in the head during an arrest on a beach. The incident occurred on Memorial Day weekend and involved 20-year-old Emily Weinman.
The footage, posted on social media on Saturday, shows three officers attempting to detain Ms Weinman, who was later charged with illegal possession of alcohol on the beach and resisting arrest. In the video, Ms Weinman is wrestled to the ground in a swimsuit and shorts. With one officer on top of her, she kicks out at another, who then holds her legs down by gripping her ankles. One officer is then seen punching her in the head with his fist before placing her in a headlock and pinning her to the ground.
Eyewitnesses can be heard urging Ms Weinman, from Philadelphia, to stop resisting. The video was captured by Alexis Hewitt, 19, who told ABC News she was startled awake by the commotion. Ms Weinman was also charged with aggravated assault on a police officer 'by spitting bodily fluids'.
The Wildwood Police Department said it had opened an internal investigation after becoming aware of the reports. Two officers have been placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the inquiry.
