Video shows student being flipped over, dragged by school resource officer

A white public school officer in South Carolina is under investigation after two videos surfaced that show him grabbing, slamming, and dragging a black female student.

In the video, a school resource officer approaches a female sitting at a desk, appears to speak to her, then tugs her desk backwards, pulls her out of her chair and throws her to the ground.

“Parents are heartbroken as this is just another example of the intolerance that continues to be of issue in Richland School District Two particularly with families and children of colour”, the statement said.

Reuters reports Fields has been placed on administrative duties and is not allowed to return to any of the district’s 40 school during the course of the investigation.

“Student safety is and always will be the district’s top priority”, Hamm added. “The district will not tolerate any actions that jeopardise the safety of our students”, the statement said. Fields was listed as one of two sheriff’s deputies assigned to work at the school (he also serves as a defensive line and strength coach in the district, according to the Times).

School officials and the Richland County Police Department are now investigating the confrontation.

“There was no justifiable reason for why he did that to that girl”, Robinson said. The resource officer proceeds to place his left hand on the individual’s left arm, before putting his right arm around the seated individual’s neck. “It’s something I have to deal with and that’s what we’re going to be doing”, Lott said by telephone Monday.

The videos, which appeared to have been taken by other pupils on their mobile phones, show the officer enter the classroom.

“When you see a video like what we’ve seen earlier today, it certainly alarms you and makes you a little bit afraid of what is actually happening within our schools”, said Stephen Gilchrist, a parent.

A spokesman for the department said Sheriff Leon Lott is aware of the video and “was very disturbed by it”.

Local CBS-affiliate WLTX obtained a second video that captured more audio of the incident and reactions from the students in the classroom. When the student refused to get up, Fields is heard saying, “I’m going to get you up”, puts her in a chokehold, flips her back along with her desk, and drags her across the floor.

“That’s supposed to be somebody that’s going to protect us”. After being asked to leave again, and her refusing, an administrator came to remove her, she refused, and that is when the SRO was called in.