The Oklahoma City Vietnamese community is responding to a recent incident involving an Oklahoma City police officer and a 71-year-old local Vietnamese man, which was captured on video and has raised concerns about the use of excessive force. The bodycam footage, made public, captures the events that took place nearly two weeks ago during a traffic stop for an improper U-turn.
The situation quickly escalated when the elderly man reportedly tried to argue his case, eventually touching the officer's vest. The footage, provided by the Oklahoma City Police Department, shows the officer then taking the man to the ground, which resulted in the man suffering a head injury. Despite the man appearing unconscious, the officer proceeded to handcuff him, with the subsequent police report noting a laceration and knot on the man's forehead. The officer involved has been placed on administrative leave pending investigation, as confirmed by a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix.
The local Vietnamese community, which includes tens of thousands of residents in Oklahoma City, has responded to the incident. Thuan Nguyen, president-elect of the Vietnamese American Community of Oklahoma, addressed the situation, stating, "There is some very, very much uncalled for excessive force and, I think, as a community, we are hurt by that," in an interview with KOCO news. The release of the video has ignited calls for justice and highlights the tension between law enforcement and minority communities.
As the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office reviews the findings of the police investigation, it will be an important step in evaluating how the system addresses concerns raised by the affected community, as reported by OKC FOX.