Investigation Launched After Video of Arizona Deputy Viciously Attacking, Threatening 15-Year-Old Amputee Surfaces

A shocking video has surfaced of a 15-year-old amputee being violently attacked by an unidentified Pima County, Ariz., deputy.

KOLD reports that the incident occurred in September in a group home after the teen—who was abandoned by his family and has no arms or legs—knocked over a garbage can and threatened a member of the group home’s staff.

In the disturbing eight-minute video, the teen is wrestled and pinned to the ground, before being threatened by the Pima County deputy. The deputy then goes on to threaten and arrest the 16-year-old who recorded the incident. 

“Imagine you were this boy with no limbs who just got tackled by this large man with a badge and gun and this man is now screaming in your face and he’s now threatening your friend who’s recording this whole incident,” Joel Feinman, the Pima County Public Defender, told KOLD. “Absolutely, that’s egregious.”

Both teens were arrested on disorderly conduct charges.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department claimed that it had no knowledge of the incident until KOLD brought it to their attention. But after being made privy to what transpired, it began an internal investigation.

“Men with badges should not be acting this way,” Feinman said. “Men and women who do act this way should not have badges and guns.”