New details have emerged surrounding an incident where Syracuse police are depicted putting an eight-year-old boy into a police vehicle in a now-viral video. Officers said the child was accused of stealing a bag of chips from a local convenience store.
Body camera footage released by the Syracuse Police Department provided greater insight into the incident and its aftermath, as did comments from the boy’s father and an update from police.
Related: Viral video shows Syracuse police taking 8-year-old boy into custody
What’s shown in the police body camera footage?
Five videos were released depicting the following scenes: The officers detaining the boy, the boy crying inside of the patrol car, the boy’s ride home, the boy’s father at their home, and officers talking to the boy’s father. The body camera footage came be viewed here.
What did the boy’s father have to say?
The boy’s father, Anthony Weah, spoke to reporters at CNY Central following the incident: “You can’t treat him like that because of a bag of chips like he killed somebody. He’s not a criminal,” said Weah.
He claimed he left his two sons home while he went to the grocery store before the incident occurred. Weah called for the involved officers to be held accountable. The boy was reportedly taken home by police, where they had a conversation with his father. No charges were filed.
The conversation between officers and Weah appeared to be cordial. Weah expressed a need for a “break” and asks if there is somewhere he can send the kids while he rests. He said his wife is sick. The eight-year-old boy as well as his brother are apparently known to police and this is reportedly not their first interaction.
Same child allegedly involved in bike incident
CNY Central reported the same eight-year-old child involved in the viral incident was issued a juvenile appearance ticket for petit larceny on Thursday, April 21 after allegedly stealing another child’s bike.
Thursday’s incident occurred just before 7 p.m. on Grumbach Avenue in Syracuse, confirmed police. The mother who filed a complaint said her son was pushed off his bike.
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