LAKELAND, FL (WFLA) — Polk County activists are calling for answers after a video posted on social media shows a man punched by a Lakeland Police officer several times.
The incident happened during an arrest on Dec. 18, when 36-year-old Antwan Glover was pulled over for not wearing a seatbelt. A strong smell of marijuana prompted officers to ask Glover to step outside the vehicle.
According to an affidavit, Glover created a struggle when officers asked him to place his hands behind his back. The affidavit states Glover resisted arrest and placed an officer in a chokehold.
In a video obtained by 8 On Your Side, Glover is already on the ground when he’s punched repeatedly. Dr. Clayton Cowart with the Poor and Minority Justice Association said he’s disappointed by the footage.
“If the tables were turned and there was a citizen that was beating an officer, that citizen would’ve been shot,” Cowart said.
Cowart told 8 On Your Side his office has filed a complaint with the Lakeland Police Department due to the video.
“These officers have issues, and it needs to be dealt with. They don’t need to be on the streets,” he said.
One concern Cowart has is that other officers didn’t step in when the unnamed officer went for a second round of punches.
“What I’m concerned about is the gentlemen seems to be comfortable doing this around other officers, there are officers there that should have brought him in check,” Cowart said.
8 On Your Side wanted to see the entire incident from the beginning, so we asked Lakeland Police if body camera footage was available. The agency responded saying those officers weren’t equipped with cameras.
Terry Coney with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) of Lakeland said he wished video from the entire incident was available to understand how things escalated.
“The video we saw was that final snippet and from that portion it really gives a bad view of that incident,” Coney said.