The family of a Black man is demanding justice after he was seen being punched by an LAPD officer in a viral video .
During a press conference on Tuesday, the family of Alexander Dante Mitchell said that he was in his car in Watts on Sunday waiting for his friend to come out of his house when the two officers accosted him and then he was punched by the officer.
Mitchell’s mother, An'tneal Harris, said she was grateful that someone managed to capture the punch on video.
“Thank God for that. Thank God my son is standing here alive right now,” she said. “This is my only…this is all I have and I don't want to lose him.”
Brad Gage, Mitchell’s attorney, claims that more than one punch was thrown and that only one was captured on video. He added that Mitchell suffered a broken nose and other injuries.
“He's a victim of police brutality,” Gage said. “He's a victim of police abuse. He's a victim of police racism and now we're here seeking justice.”
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The family wants the District Attorney’s Office to file charges and they want the police department to fire the officer involved.
On Monday, LAPD released a statement on X noting that the officer had been removed from the field as the department investigated the incident.
A preliminary investigation released by the department on Tuesday revealed that officers conducted a traffic stop on a “double-parked vehicle facing against traffic at the intersection of 113 th St. and Graham Ave.”
Officers then ordered Mitchell to get out of the car and tried to handcuff him.
“During the handcuffing process, Mitchell resisted by refusing to place his hands behind his back and grasping his front waistband/pocket area with his right hand, preventing the officers from securing him,” according to the department. This led to the officer striking Mitchell “on the right side of his face.”
Mitchell was taken to the hospital before being booked for obstructing/resisting arrest. Officers said he was given a misdemeanor citation and is scheduled to appear in court.
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