A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officer seen in a viral video slamming a West Charlotte High School student to the ground has been suspended without pay after a department review found he used excessive force. The student lost consciousness and suffered a seizure, according to reports, and CMPD says the officer has been pulled from his school resource officer assignment and moved back to other duty. The move follows an internal review completed last month and fresh calls from the student’s family and community members for accountability.
What happened on campus
On Oct. 31, 2025, video taken in the school’s bus lot appears to show officers trying to break up a large fight during dismissal, with one officer physically engaging a female student and taking her to the pavement. As detailed by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, CMPD’s Criminal Investigations Bureau opened a criminal probe while Internal Affairs launched a parallel inquiry, and the officer was placed on administrative leave during the investigations.
Review board action
The department’s review board concluded the officer used excessive force and has suspended Officer Hasun Rogers without pay, according to WSOC. The station also reported that CMPD finished its internal investigation last month and that Rogers is no longer serving as a school resource officer, though he remains on duty in another assignment.
Family speaks out
The student’s family says she suffered a brain bleed, seizures and hearing loss after the takedown and has been demanding justice at demonstrations outside CMPD headquarters. “This is the human cost when school discipline turns violent,” the family’s attorney told WSOC.
Legal and disciplinary process
CMPD separates potential criminal prosecution from internal discipline. Prosecutors review the criminal findings, while Internal Affairs and the chain of command decide on administrative consequences that can range from counseling to unpaid suspension or termination. As outlined by CMPD Internal Affairs, citizens can appeal certain findings to the Citizens Review Board and, if discipline involves suspension or firing, to the Civil Service Board.
Why this matters for schools
School resource officers are supposed to keep campuses safe and build relationships with students, not end up at the center of viral use-of-force controversies. Incidents like this have reignited local debate over officer training, use-of-force rules and when police should step into what starts as a school discipline issue. Early coverage of the investigation and community reaction appeared in local outlets, including a criminal probe into the West Charlotte incident and public radio reporting by WFAE.
Next steps
The family has signaled they may pursue additional legal remedies, and CMPD has said it will release information as allowed under state personnel law. Anyone with information about the October incident can contact CMPD’s Criminal Investigations Bureau and reference file number 20251031-1420-04.
