*Newly released police body cam footage shows the moments leading up to a white Chicago police officer’s attempt to tackle a Black woman walking her dog in a closed park, allegedly unprovoked.
Nikkita Brown said that on Aug. 28 the officer drove up to her as she was walking her dog in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago and told her to leave the area immediately, according to ABC News. She said that she was walking out of the park, following his instructions, when the incident occurred.
The video shows that the officer identified himself and showed his badge at Brown’s request. It also shows that Brown repeatedly asked the maskless officer to remain keep a distance of six feet due to fears of exposure to COVID-19.
“Please don’t. Please respect my space. It’s COVID. Six feet,” Brown said.
“Respect your space? I’m about to put handcuffs on you,” the officer replied.
Brown said she repeatedly told him, “I am leaving” and “I am walking away,” while walking toward the exit, but he got out of his car and continued to follow her.
“You can go to jail,” he said, according to a video taken by Brown who recorded part of the encounter.
Brown’s attorney identified the officer as Bruce Dyker through his badge. A Chicago Police Department spokesperson told ABC News earlier this month, “The officer in question has been placed on desk duty as the COPA investigates the video.”
At one point during the argument with Brown — while she had her phone out to record — Dyker ran toward her and attempted to tackle her. The physical struggle between the two lasted for more than a minute and Dyker repeatedly threatened to arrest Brown. In the end, no arrest was made.
Brown told “Good Morning America” earlier this month that she believes she was targeted because she’s Black and said she hopes that her speaking out will stop others from being targeted.
“I walked past four kids that were behind me … white males. As soon as I saw the car pull up, I looked behind me to see if he said anything to the kids. He didn’t,” Brown said.
Dyker has 24 allegations of misconduct filed against him, three of which resulted in discipline.
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