An April 14 CNN report indicates Gwinnett County Police Sergeant Michael Bongiovanni and Officer Robert McDonald have been released from the police department after disturbing videos of their recent actions were revealed.
Video captured the brutal assault on the defenseless man
An eyewitness video shows the two officers mercilessly kicking and punching a young black man- Demetrius Hollins- who is already handcuffed and lying on the ground. Subsequent video footage from a different angle reveals that the man clearly steps out of his car with his hands up, when one of the officers, Sergeant Bongiovanni, punches him in the face.
After Hollins falls to the ground, Bongiovanni handcuffs him- then continues to beat him. McDonald, who is the responding officer on the scene, arrives soon after and starts kicking the fallen man.
Sergeant Bongiovanni tried to justify his actions
Reports claim Bongiovanni attempted to defend his actions by indicating that Hollins was resisting arrest and "acting strangely." The video evidence, however, did not support his statement. The sergeant then went on to imply that Hollins had a history of violence against police officers- stating that in a previous stop, the man had reached for a loaded handgun.
Bongiovanni was fired for both his actions and his dishonesty
Officials say that an investigation into McDonald's actions commenced immediately following the release of the first video, and the officer was fired within 24 hours.
However, it wasn't until the second video- the one that showed Bongiovanni's unnecessary blow to the victim's face- that the 19-year police veteran was called in for questioning. Investigators indicate that while McDonald owned up to his actions right away and acknowledged his wrongdoing, the police sergeant had no intentions of doing the same.
He lied about what had happened, claiming that there was indeed a struggle before he punched Mr. Hollins. He has fired soon after, with Gwinnett County Police Chief A.A. Ayers citing both his actions and his dishonesty as the main contributors to the decision.
Gwinnett County police chief was 'at a loss for words' after reviewing the eyewitness videos
When asked for more detail about Bongiovanni's questioning, Ayers indicated he was stunned by his former sergeant's seemingly blasé approach to the situation. He mentioned that upon being asked about the inconsistencies in his story, the officer remarked simply, "It's different on the streets." The Gwinnett County police department also noted that in light of the severity of the earlier events, it would be launching a criminal investigation.
Ayers admits that the actions taken by the officers were so surprising, he was "almost at a loss for words."
