Michigan State Police are investigating a Detroit cop who was suspended after punching a man in his 70s in the face at a Midtown establishment, causing him to fall and strike his head.
The elderly man, who appeared to be intoxicated, was accused of causing a disturbance at the business shortly before 7 p.m. on Friday.
Video from the officer’s body camera shows the cop attempting several times to get the elderly man to leave. The man then struck the officer in the head.
The cop responded by punching the man in the jaw.
Police Chief James E. White said he immediately ordered the officer’s suspension on Saturday, in part because “the officer did not adequately de-escalate or disengage from the situation.”
State police are heading the investigation, and the Homicide Task Force is overseeing the probe. DPD’s Force Investigation Unit is conducting a separate inquiry.
“The investigation will encompass a meticulous review of all available video evidence and other pertinent information to ascertain whether the officer's actions were reasonable given the circumstances and proportionate to any potential threat posed by the individual,” White said in a statement.
In a separate incident, a Detroit firefighter is under investigation after he was caught on video repeatedly punching a man on June 30.
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