Shocking Video: California Cop Beats Suspect; Draws Gun on Irate Bystanders

Last Friday, officers with the Vallejo Police Department in California responded to a 911 call that claimed a man was acting crazy at a gas station. According to witnesses, the first officer who arrived on the scene chased the man for several minutes before he gave up and sat down. When the officer tried to put him in cuffs, the man resisted, and the cop proceeded to wail on him with his flashlight and fists. Bystanders approached the officer to criticize his actions and yell expletives at him, and at one point he responded by pulling his gun and pointing it at one of them. The following video captured the incident.

The man in the video is clearly mentally ill, and can be heard repeatedly yelling “I am God.” This video is further proof that cops in general are not very good at dealing with the mentally ill. In fact, statistics show that the mentally ill are 16 times more likely to be killed by the police than the general population.

Former Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan told CBS News that he thought that the initial use of force was appropriate, but that beating the suspect after backup arrived and drawing a gun on the crowd was out of line. “I understand the officer needed to try to keep the people from getting close to him…I don’t necessarily agree that’s the best use of force. I does look bad. It does appear inappropriate.”