A bystander video showing two Santa Ana police officers throwing a 28-year-old man to the ground and punching him repeatedly during an arrest has triggered a department review and a wave of public anger. The man, identified by his attorney as Florentino Junior Lopez, was arrested Oct. 1 near Jackson and Fifth streets, and the footage shows him held against a patrol car before being flung down and struck multiple times.
The video went viral over the weekend, prompting public outcry over the officers' use of force, according to an archived report on the incident. Separate footage reviewed by the Orange County Register shows the two officers restraining Lopez against the patrol car before he is flung to the ground and punched multiple times, with one officer seen punching him on at least three occasions. After a little more than a minute, two additional Santa Ana police officers arrived and asked the gathering crowd to back away, the paper reported.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the confrontation unfolded around 9:30 p.m. outside the Santa Ana home where Lopez lives with his parents and sister. Lopez's attorney, John Kremer, said his client made a remark to the officers before he was yanked to the ground, and that Lopez's younger sister recorded the interaction that followed. Kremer told the Times, “All of the sudden, things got out of control,” and said the footage shows excessive use of force by the officers. Per the attorney, Lopez was struck on both sides of his face before being handcuffed.
Department Says Review Includes Body Camera Footage
Santa Ana Police Chief Robert Rodriguez said he personally reviewed the video and that the department takes every use of force seriously. In a statement reported by KTLA, Rodriguez said, “Our Department is conducting a thorough review of the incident, including body worn camera footage, reports, and the circumstances surrounding the arrest.” Rodriguez did not say whether the officers involved have been placed on leave, and their identities have not been disclosed.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Lopez was a construction worker and had previously served a 10-day sentence connected to carrying a loaded weapon, resisting arrest, and a hit-and-run, citing his attorney. KTLA reported, also citing his attorney, that Lopez was on probation at the time of the arrest. He was charged with resisting arrest following the Oct. 1 encounter, and a judge granted him $20,000 bail.
Not Guilty Plea Entered on Multiple Charges
Lopez pleaded not guilty Monday to resisting arrest, according to MyNewsLA. The charges also include smoking marijuana near a school or daycare center and being a pedestrian in the roadway outside a crosswalk, the outlet reported. His next court date is scheduled for Oct. 13 at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana, per the Los Angeles Times.
City leaders have weighed in as the review continues. Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua said, as reported by the Orange County Register, that the matter is under investigation and details cannot be shared that could compromise the process. She has said she supports transparency and a thorough investigation and will continue to monitor it, per the Los Angeles Times.
Calls for Outside Review and Oversight
Santa Ana Councilman David Penaloza said he supports an outside investigation into the incident, according to Voice of OC. The outlet also reported that the police union president said the union supports “a thorough, fair and unbiased investigation that is based on the facts and evidence of the case.” Voice of OC noted that elected officials allocated roughly $166 million to the police department this summer after slashing more than $11 million in spending elsewhere in the city budget.
ABC7's Eyewitness News reported that video shows Santa Ana police officers punching a man during an arrest. The department is reviewing the use of force in the arrest. Santa Ana's police department says officers may use reasonable force when warranted while carrying out their duties, according to the department's own use-of-force report page.
The incident lands amid broader scrutiny of police use of force statewide. The Public Policy Institute of California has found that about 195 people die each year from interactions with California law enforcement, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. The same research found that about 80 law enforcement officers are arrested each year, with assault the most common reason.
