A Chicago police sergeant is on the brink of dismissal after being captured in a viral video kneeling on the back of a 14-year-old boy last summer. The video sparked outrage and now the Chicago Police Department is seeking to fire Sgt. Michael Vitellaro for allegedly using excessive force and making false statements about the incident.
The confrontation took place on July 1, 2022, when Vitellaro, off duty at the time, learned his son’s bike was stolen and traced it to a Starbucks in Park Ridge. The sergeant accused the teen of trying to ride off with the bike and forcibly took him down. According to a report by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) obtained through a public records request, cellphone footage shows the young boy under Vitellaro’s knee and subsequent altercations with witnesses at the scene. "He had that 'Oh s---' look on his face," Vitellaro was caught saying on a responding officer's body camera, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.
Vitellaro, who is still on active duty in the department’s alternate response section and earns $132,906 a year, was acquitted of criminal charges last June. However, COPA has sustained allegations that he used excessive force and engaged in an unnecessary verbal altercation, among other charges. The agency’s March 2023 report recommended his firing. Though disciplinary charges have not been formally filed yet, former Interim Chicago Police Supt. Fred Waller confirmed in a letter that the department would "seek separation."
The incident's victim, Josh Nieves, was cast into the spotlight once more as he recounted the ordeal in court, testifying he was just trying to move an obstructive bike when Vitellaro tackled him. "I was shocked. I thought I was going to lose my life. I didn't know what happened," Nieves said in court, according to WLS-TV. This account challenged the narrative presented by Vitellaro, who claimed the teen had stolen his son's bike.
Amidst the legal and departmental turmoil, Nieves' family has sued both Vitellaro and the city. "We have always known that as an officer, his conduct that day was utterly unreasonable," family attorney Javier Rodriguez stated, expressing satisfaction with the possibility of Vitellaro's dismissal. The boy's mother highlighted that her son, who was singled out in the group, was the only "brown kid" involved, further fueling concerns about racial undertones to the incident.
The case has polarized community sentiment, with officers showing up in court to defend Vitellaro and community members supporting the Nieves family. As Vitellaro faces not only public scrutiny but also possible expulsion from the force, the city awaits the outcome of a case that has put another spotlight on police conduct and the ongoing debate about the appropriate use of force.
