Four girls physically assaulted a police officer in central Arkansas Tuesday night following a dispute over littering by one of the girls, leading to the girls’ arrest, bodycam footage released Friday shows.
Hot Springs Police Department (HSPD) Lt. Kenny May could be seen addressing the girl, who had picked up the beverage can that she previously had thrown onto the street as soon as she noticed Lt. May approaching, the video shows.
“Listen, the next time I see you throw trash, you’re gonna go to jail,” Lt. May said, per the video.
An argument ensued. One of the girls came up close to Lt. May, who then held her off, and she asked him, “What the f— is wrong with you?”
“We’re minors,” said another, adding that she would call her mother. Lt. May insisted on the girl calling her mother, the video showed. The girl with the can screamed and threw the can at Lt. May, who then radioed for backup while still trailing the girls. An expletive-laden altercation ensued, one of the girls threw an object at Lt. May, the girls repeatedly charged at Lt. May, and when Lt. May tackled one of them, the others set upon him, per the video. Backup officers arrived and the girls were arrested. (RELATED: As Juvenile Crime Skyrockets To Record Levels, States Seek To Crack Down)
Sequinta Dendy, the mother of the girl with the beverage can, said the teens were terrified and were defending themselves from the police, THV11 reported. “My baby can’t sleep at night. She wakes up crying. She’s hurt. She’s constantly telling me she’s in pain, and there’s nothing I can really do,” she reportedly said.
Dendy called for justice for the children and punishment for the cops by way of termination and removal of badges, THV11 noted.
Kimberly Lambert, the mother of the other three girls, reportedly said, “Their friend was pretty much the only thing I was worried about. They really weren’t concerned about themselves… they wanted to save her.”
The four girls face second-degree battery charges, HSPD said.