PHOENIX — A violent arrest was caught on camera in Phoenix.
A Phoenix police officer was called to an alleyway near 16th Street and Jefferson to confront a man when things escalated quickly.
The video shows the officer hunched over the man, and at one point, punching him repeatedly. The footage shows a second officer also on scene.
"What I saw was a vulnerable person being treated inhumanely by two people who are frequently being accused of being above accountability," said ABC15 viewer Geneva Patterson who witnessed the encounter.
State Representative Diego Rodriguez says the people of his district want and deserve an explanation.
This video was taken by a conscientious citizen voter in LD27. The people of my district want and deserve an explanation of what is shown here @KateWGallego @PhoenixPolice Transparency and Accountability at all levels of the criminal justice system are NON NEGOTIABLE. pic.twitter.com/yag8efrroJ
— Rep. Diego Rodriguez (@Diego4Justice) January 27, 2021
Phoenix police say they were called to the alleyway for a suspicious person.
When officers arrived, they learned the man was Derick Cornfield who had warrants out for his arrest.
They say they tried to detain Cornfield, but he resisted, kicking the officers on scene.
Officials say the officers then started punching the man and used a stun gun on him before taking him into custody.
Phoenix police say their initial conversation with Cornfield was captured on body cameras, but when things escalated and that struggle broke out, they say their cameras were knocked off of them.
