Video of Indiana cop kicking handcuffed man draws outrage. Police say it was necessary

While two officers were attempting to take a man into custody, someone nearby recorded the arrest.

In the 9-second video posted to Facebook, one of the Marion, Indiana, cops appears to have kicked the suspect twice before the video came to an end.

That video posted to Facebook on Saturday has been shared over 2,000 times as of Monday morning and has drawn outrage because of those two kicks.

“He should be fired,” one person wrote.

“Warrant or no warrant, while you are restrained they don’t have the right to kick him like that,” wrote another. “All they did was give the dude the right to sue and get money.”

“That lame line cops use of ‘Stop Resisting’ is what they are taught to say to justify their assaults on citizens,” another person commented.

On Sunday, the day after the video was posted to Facebook, the Marion Police Department posted a statement confirming the officer kicked the man twice in his back — and explained why he did so.

At about 2:34 p.m. on Saturday, Officer Billy Cole was on patrol when he saw a man who matched the description of Julian Paegle, 27, who was wanted through an active warrant, the statement says. The man was entering a home with the same address that’s listed on the arrest warrant.

He was wanted on a county warrant for “failure to appear,” and a Department of Corrections warrant for escaping, police said.

Officer Kyle Griffith came and “provided rear security” while Cole knocked and asked to speak with Paegle, police said. The home owner who answered told police that Paegle was in a bedroom, but when Cole went to find him, Paegle was climbing out of the window, according to the statement.

Once Paegle was outside, Griffith “took control” of the man and attempted to handcuff him, police said.

He continued to resist, police said, but was eventually handcuffed.

The two officers then escorted Paegle to the police car, but as they did, Paegle became “combative,” according to the statement.

“Paegle broke away from the officer’s grip, while secured in handcuffs, and took that opportunity to flee,” police said.

The cops caught up with and tackled the man, but Paegle “continued kicking and Officer Griffith caught one of his leg to prevent further attacks; However, Mr. Paegle continued kicking with his other leg,” police wrote.

That’s when Cole kicked Paegle twice in his back, police said.

“After delivering those kicks, Mr. Paegle stated, ‘OK, I’m done!’ and stopped physically resisting,” according to the statement.

Paegle was then taken and booked into jail on suspicion of resisting law enforcement with injury to another (twice) and battery resulting in injury on a law enforcement officer (twice).

Following his arrest, Paegle was “apologetic,” police said, and he said he was “fighting for his freedom.”

He complained of no pain, the statement says, and he “sustained only minor abrasions” on his hands and elbows.

Both officers “sustained abrasions,” and Cole’s left hand also began swelling, police said.

This story was originally published April 8, 2019 at 9:45 AM.