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OSBI investigates Watonga officer's use of force after struggle with autistic child

On July 4, body camera footage from the Watonga Police Department showed an officer taking a father to the ground after he was walking with his son. That same officer is now at the center of another video sparking concern

OSBI investigates Watonga officer's use of force after struggle with autistic child

On July 4, body camera footage from the Watonga Police Department showed an officer taking a father to the ground after he was walking with his son. That same officer is now at the center of another video sparking concern

YEAH, THIS INCIDENT DATES BACK TO JUNE, EARLY JUNE. THAT’S WHEN THE MOM TELLS ME THAT SHE HAD SPINAL SURGERY AND SHE WAS HAVING SOME DIFFICULTIES DEALING WITH HER SON, SO SHE CALLED WATONGA POLICE TO HELP HER DE-ESCALATE A SITUATION. TAKE A LOOK. YOU CAN EITHER GO WITH THIS STAND UP AND GO, AND ALL THIS CAN BE DONE FROM HERE, OR WE’RE GOING TO MAKE IT. YOU’RE WATCHING BODY CAM VIDEO RECORDED ON JUNE 2ND AT A HOME IN WATONGA. OFFICERS RESPONDED TO A MOTHER’S CALL AFTER SHE STATED, QUOTE, HE WAS GOING OFF ON THEM. HAD THREATENED TO STAB THEM, AND ALSO STATED HE WOULD KILL HIMSELF. MY SON BECAME A LITTLE OVERWHELMED. WELL, A LOT OVERWHELMED. WHEN OFFICERS ARRIVED, OFFICERS WROTE IN THEIR REPORT THAT, QUOTE, THE INDIVIDUAL WAS UNARMED, UPSET ABOUT WI-FI IN A GAMING CONSOLE BEING TAKEN AWAY AND WHILE HE STATED HE WANTED TO HARM HIMSELF, ALSO SAID HE WAS SORRY THAT HE HAD SAID HE WANTED TO HURT OTHERS. THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES AND SOME ODD SECONDS WENT REALLY, REALLY WELL. THEN AFTER THAT IT BECAME A DISASTER. THE PLAN WAS TO TAKE THE CHILD INTO CUSTODY AND TAKE HIM TO THE HOSPITAL FOR HELP. LET ME SHOW YOU HOW THIS IS GOING TO GO. OKAY. YOU WANT TO ROLL THAT WAY? HERE YOU CAN SEE THE STRUGGLE. THE OFFICER TRIES TO FLIP HIM AND PUNCHES HIM THREE TIMES IN THE FACE. AND THE REPORT SAYS THE CHILD. QUOTE, BEGAN SWINGING AND PUNCHING AT OFFICERS AND BIT HIM. BUT WE DIDN’T SEE THAT IN THE VIDEO AS THE STRUGGLE CONTINUED, THIS HAPPENED. BODY CAM IS NO LONGER IN VIEW, BUT YOU CAN HEAR THE CHILD CONTINUE TO GET HIT. HE WAS FINALLY TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AND SENT TO INPATIENT CARE ON THE 10TH OF JUNE. I DROVE TO ARKANSAS TO PICK HIM UP AND THEN BROUGHT HIM HOME. AND THAT’S WHEN I DISCOVERED THE BRUISE ON HIS FACE. HE ALSO HAD BRUISES ON OTHER PARTS OF HIS BODY FROM THE 2ND OF JUNE. OSP IS NOW INVESTIGATING THIS AS A USE OF FORCE CASE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE BY HIS HIGHER UPS. AND SO I AM HAPPY THAT OSBI IS INVESTIGATING. BUT I’VE ALSO CONTACTED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE IS AWARE OF MY SON’S STORY, AND THE SENATOR IS AWARE OF MY SON’S STORY. THAT OFFICER IN QUESTION IS STILL ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE. THE CITY TOLD ME THAT TODAY WHEN I TRIED TO GET AN UPDATE. NOW, THIS IS BECAUSE OF THAT JULY 4TH CASE, WHICH IS ALSO HAVING SOME OTHER FALLOUT IMPACTING CITY GOVERNMENT. I’LL HAVE THAT STO
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OSBI investigates Watonga officer's use of force after struggle with autistic child

On July 4, body camera footage from the Watonga Police Department showed an officer taking a father to the ground after he was walking with his son. That same officer is now at the center of another video sparking concern

New allegations against a Watonga police officer are already drawing a community's ire. | MORE | Watonga officer won't face criminal charges in use of force caseOn July 4, body camera footage from the Watonga Police Department showed an officer taking a father to the ground after he was walking with his son. That same officer is now at the center of another video sparking concern. On June 2, body camera footage shows an incident that transpired after a mother, who had spinal surgery, had trouble handling her son, who has autism. She called police to de-escalate the situation. "You can either stand up and go or we’re going to make you," an officer said on the body camera video. The officers responded to a mother's call after she said, "He was going off on them, had threatened to stab them and also stated he would kill himself."When officers arrived, they wrote in their report that the individual was unarmed, upset about Wi-Fi and a gaming console being taken away. "My son became a little overwhelmed. A lot overwhelmed," Andrea Lambert, the mom who called police, said. Her son said he wanted to harm himself, but said he was sorry he had said he wanted to hurt others, according to the report. "The first eight seconds were great. Then, it became a disaster," Lambert said. The plan was to take him into custody and then to the hospital for help. But body camera video showed a struggle between the officer and the son. The officer tries to flip the child, punching him three times in the face. The child "began swinging and punching at officers" and bit one, according to the report. This was not visible in the body camera video. As the struggle continues, the camera dislodged from the officer, and the altercation is out of view. But the child could still be heard getting hit. He was eventually taken into custody and sent to inpatient care. "On the 10th of June, I drove to Arkansas to pick him up and then brought him home. That's when I discovered the bruise on his face. He also had bruises on other parts of his body from the 2nd of June," Lambert said. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is now investigating it as a use-of-force case."Nothing has been done by his higher-ups, and so, I am happy that OSBI is investigating, but I've also contacted the attorney general, and the Attorney General's Office is aware of my son's story, and the senator is aware of my son's story," Lambert said. >> Download the KOCO 5 AppThe officer in question is still on paid administrative leave while the city conducts a "personnel review" of the July 4 case. Top Headlines Watch these families bond over breaking the law WATCH: Sky 5 captures beautiful shot of blue supermoon over Oklahoma Phil Donahue, pioneering TV talk show host, dies at 88 Danielle Fishel, 'Boy Meets World' star, reveals she has breast cancer Family, friends mourn the death of Langston University football coach

New allegations against a Watonga police officer are already drawing a community's ire.

| MORE | Watonga officer won't face criminal charges in use of force case

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On July 4, body camera footage from the Watonga Police Department showed an officer taking a father to the ground after he was walking with his son. That same officer is now at the center of another video sparking concern.

On June 2, body camera footage shows an incident that transpired after a mother, who had spinal surgery, had trouble handling her son, who has autism. She called police to de-escalate the situation.

"You can either stand up and go or we’re going to make you," an officer said on the body camera video.

The officers responded to a mother's call after she said, "He was going off on them, had threatened to stab them and also stated he would kill himself."

When officers arrived, they wrote in their report that the individual was unarmed, upset about Wi-Fi and a gaming console being taken away.

"My son became a little overwhelmed. A lot overwhelmed," Andrea Lambert, the mom who called police, said.

Her son said he wanted to harm himself, but said he was sorry he had said he wanted to hurt others, according to the report.

"The first eight seconds were great. Then, it became a disaster," Lambert said.

The plan was to take him into custody and then to the hospital for help.

But body camera video showed a struggle between the officer and the son. The officer tries to flip the child, punching him three times in the face.

The child "began swinging and punching at officers" and bit one, according to the report. This was not visible in the body camera video.

As the struggle continues, the camera dislodged from the officer, and the altercation is out of view. But the child could still be heard getting hit.

He was eventually taken into custody and sent to inpatient care.

"On the 10th of June, I drove to Arkansas to pick him up and then brought him home. That's when I discovered the bruise on his face. He also had bruises on other parts of his body from the 2nd of June," Lambert said.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is now investigating it as a use-of-force case.

"Nothing has been done by his higher-ups, and so, I am happy that OSBI is investigating, but I've also contacted the attorney general, and the Attorney General's Office is aware of my son's story, and the senator is aware of my son's story," Lambert said.

>> Download the KOCO 5 App

The officer in question is still on paid administrative leave while the city conducts a "personnel review" of the July 4 case.


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