A video of a school police officer in Texas “bodyslamming” a 12-year-old girl to the ground has sparked outcry.
The girl’s classmates are heard yelling and laughing in the footage as she is thrown by the policeman, who handcuffs her and leads her away.
Mobile phone footage of the incident has been decried by human rights groups and San Antonio Independent School District has launched an investigation.
The officer, Joshua Kehm, has been placed on leave pending its outcome.
The video does not show what led to the incident but school district officials said the officer was tring to break up a confrontation between girl and another pupil.
School district spokeswoman Leslie Price called the video “alarming”.
The girl’s mother Gloria told News4SA.com: “You could just hear where she hits the ground. And it’s nothing but concrete, cement.
“I talked to the officer. He did what he had to do at the moment - those were his words.”
The officer has not commented.
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