Horse Thief Beaten By Police - A video showing more than ten deputies beating and kicking a suspected horse thief is making headlines. The footage of the showing the horse thief beaten by police has been recorded by an NBC Los Angeles helicopter Thursday, and it lasts for about two minutes.
The horse thief beaten by police video shows the alleged horse thief, Francis Jared Pusok, 30, thrown from a stolen horse in San Bernardino County after a two-hour chase with police.
In the footage, it appears that after Pusok was stunned with a Taser, he was kicked an estimated 17 times, punched 37 times and struck with batons four times by the deputies. It also appears that he suffered thirteen blows to the head in the horse thief beaten by police video, according to NBC Los Angeles.
After getting thrown off the horse, Pusok lay on the ground and put his hand behind his back. Two deputies eventually caught up with Pusok and stunned him with a Taser. The 30-year-old fell on the ground before he could flee. The deputies were shown in the horse thief beaten by police video stunning Pusok several times over before they punched him in the head and kicked him in the groin.
While Pusok was splayed face-down on the ground, the deputies continued beating him with their fists and stun guns. Thirty seconds into the horse thief beaten by police video, another deputy ran in to join his fellow officers, and then three more joined in the beating, which appeared to have lasted for about two minutes.
While some were huddled over Pusok beating him, another stood by calmly holding onto the horse by the saddle.
According to MSNBC, ten California sheriff's deputies have been put on administrative leave after news of the horse thief beaten by police video got out.
San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon said that a Taser stun gun was initially used in the footage, but the barbs weren't able to penetrate Pusok's clothes.
After the incident, two officers were reportedly treated for abrasions and bruising, while Pusok was treated for abrasions and bruising. The officers were later released from the hospital. Pusok was booked at the West Valley Detention Center after being released from the health institution, said McMahon.
Pusok was charged with felony evading, stolen property, reckless driving and theft of a horse.
Before the horse thief beaten by police incident began, there was a chase between Pusok and deputies who tried to serve a warrant in an identity theft investigation at 12:12 p.m. Thursday. Apparently, Pusok fled in a vehicle and stole a horse from a group of people at a ranch near San Bernardino National Forest. He eventually rode off through the rugged terrain in the area.
Because of the disturbing horse thief beaten by police video, an internal investigation and criminal investigation are underway. On Friday, the FBI opened an investigation into the use of force while McMahon has also ordered an investigation into the incident, reported the Daily Mail.
"I am disturbed and troubled by what I see in the video," McMahon said during a press conference Friday. He did not name the deputies involved in the horse thief beaten by police incident.
McMahon added that though Pusok appeared to have kicked the officers in the video, "at the end of the day, it appears to be excessive," as he referred to the deputies' response.
According to San Bernardino Superior Court records, Pusok has had convictions for resisting arrest, animal cruelty, disturbing the peace, attempted robbery and failure to provide evidence of financial responsibility.
With the horse thief beaten by police incident, the American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement that though police officers are authorized to use force on suspects, they "are deeply troubled by the video images that appear to show San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies beating a man after he surrendered."
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