Florida Beach Brawl: Police Officer Shows ‘Em How It’s Done
[hdplay id=86 width=710 height=430]
YOUTUBE.com
St. Pete Beach, FL (ABC4 Action News) – Beach goers cheered a Pinellas County deputy Sunday as he took down two men in the sand, an encounter now spreading online through a Facebook video, according to ABCActionnews.com
The deputy was responding to reports of a fight on the beach, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
Justin D. Lewis, 24, and Joshua McMahan, 25, both of St. Petersburg, were charged with disorderly conduct and battery on a law enforcement officer. Both have been released on bond.
A Facebook user named Darrell Lynn Tate II posted the cellphone video on Facebook about 6:15 p.m. Sunday. The post had been viewed more than 51,500 times and shared more than 2,300 times as of Monday evening. The video shows the deputy, Sgt. Bryan Bingham, with his hands around the neck a man who appears to be Joshua McMahan. He then slams the man’s head into the sand. As Bingham tries to put the man’s hands behind his back, another man who appears to be Lewis tries to intervene and Bingham pushes him to the ground.
The second man tries to intervene again and the deputy smacks him the chest, sending him back several feet and to the ground. The video ends with the deputy sitting on the first man and his arm wrapped around the head of the second man, who is struggling against him. People from the crowd appear to step in to help put the second man’s arms behind his back.
Portions of the brawl can also be seen in a drone video posted to YouTube. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office is investigating and declined to comment.
Lewis spoke to ABC Action News on Monday evening. “When I got there, my friend’s face was blue. He was already passed out before he hit the ground and the cop was just not letting up,” Lewis said.
Despite his charges, Lewis said he didn’t assault the deputy. “I got marks, banged up. There’s times in that video I have my hands at my side,” he said. “I’m tapping, tapping out. I’m not even resisting.”
