A grocery store security guard violently wrestled a Black teen girl to the ground after she was accused of stealing over the weekend in Ohio. The disturbing incident caught on video has raised questions about excessive force, especially when used against minors.
The guard, Tom Clingo, who is White, pinned the 16-year-old teen to the floor on Saturday night in Toledo after she and another teen were approached about taking “miscellaneous” items, a police report said. The teen, who was not identified, went on the defense before she was dragged to the ground, trying to kick and punch the guard, the report also claimed.
However, Clingo’s forceful handling of the teen has been met with heavy criticism. Several Facebook users were not having what Clingo did, as shown in a cell phone video taken by Toledo resident Tevin Ford.
The video, labeled with a warning for involving violence against a minor, had been viewed roughly 161,000 times on Facebook and had been shared by more than 3,800 users as of Wednesday morning. But the charges over the incident might be even more infuriating for social media users.
The girl was actually arrested and charged with robbery, while Clingo was not charged with any crime, Toledo Police Department spokesman Sgt. Kevan Toney told the Toledo Blade. She would have been charged with theft but she used force in an effort to get away, he added, saying his department was also confronted with questions about officers using too much force during public encounters.
Clingo declined to comment to the Toledo Blade.
Several witnesses, about 10 to 12, also watched the struggle between Clingo and the teen. The second teen, who was also not identified, had fled the scene and was not arrested as of Monday afternoon.
The incident presents an opportunity to call out violent incidents involving law enforcement and the like using force against people of color. The fact remains that this girl was a minor, and this video will not be forgotten.
Watch the full video below.
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Video: 16-Year-Old Black Teen Dragged By Security Guard, Accused Of Stealing In Ohio was originally published on newsone.com