Police in northern Indiana are defending their actions after a Black activist group criticized video of an officer pinning a 14-year-old girl to the ground.
Here's the viral video, what we know about the South Bend Police Department's actions and community reaction.
What happened in South Bend?
Police received a 911 call from a McDonald's employee on Aug. 15. The employee said a juvenile inside the restaurant was becoming loud, aggressive and was threatening employees and using profanities, according to a report from The South Bend Tribune.
The caller described the juvenile as a boy around 11 or 12 years old, wearing a grayish-white sweater with a green backpack and said the youth was still in the restaurant at the front counter at the time of the call, South Bend Police Director of Communications Ashley O’Chap said.
The officer saw someone who matched the description leave the restaurant and called them over to his vehicle. About halfway through their interaction a civilian began recording, which is the video that later went viral and led to the South Bend Police Department to investigate the incident.
What happens in the viral video of South Bend police officer?
The video shows an officer detaining a girl after he was called to the McDonald's restaurant at 416 N. Michigan St. in South Bend for a disturbance call, police told The Tribune.
The video also shows a civilian joining in to hold the girl facedown on the ground, her torso in the lawn and her head and neck out over the curb.
Who was the South Bend police officer involved?
The police officer involved has been identified as Sam Chaput, who's been in the department since 2014.
South Bend Police says the officer acted according to policy
In a press conference Aug. 21, Chief of Police Scott Ruszkowski said that he felt that Chaput acted in according to the department's policy, The South Bend Tribue reported.
Officers can only use force that is objectively reasonable, while protecting the safety of officers and others, under the department's use of force policy, which is in accordance with uniform statewide policy determined by the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board.
The body camera footage shows the girl attempting to hit Chaput twice, Ruszkowski said. Chaput can be heard telling the girl not to hit him, the footage showed.
Ruszkowski said the girl's actions fell under the definition of active resistance in the department’s use-of force-policy: "physical action(s) that prevent(s) an officer from being able to lawfully exercise their duties (e.g., subject walking away after being told to stop, subject fleeing from arrest, or subject tensing/pulling away/breaking officer's grip involving force demonstrated by the individual's use of power, strength, or violence directed at or against the officer)."
From South Bend: Body camera, 911 call released of South Bend officer's use of force in detaining teen girl
Who was the man who assisted police?
In the video, a man ran up and joined the officer in holding the 14-year-old girl down. That person is not wearing a police uniform, and South Bend police confirmed he is not a police officer.
When asked about his stance on civilians getting involved in police work, Ruskowski said, “I welcome people to intervene before we even have to get involved.”
Ruszkowski referenced the Good Samaritan law but said it's not a requirement that someone does that. When asked if the city is liable for people who step in to help officers, Ruszkowski said, "Without asking or telling? That's on them."
Local response to arrest of 14-year-old
Black Lives Matter - South Bend has criticized the actions shown in the video, calling particular attention to a civilian being allowed to participate in the handling of a 14-year-old girl.
Local FOP President Josh Morgan, in turn, posted on Facebook to criticize the attention being paid to the video, which he called "gaslighting at its finest."
From South Bend: Body camera footage to be released today from South Bend officer who detained teen girl
McDonald's is mum
McDonald's cooperated with police in its investigation, the department said. The South Bend Tribune asked McDonald's corporate about its policy regarding involving police in restaurant disturbances, but the company has not responded.
The Tribune has also tried to get in touch with the girl's family to hear her perspective.
View the Aug. 21 police press conference
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Video shows South Bend officer pinning girl down outside McDonald's
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