DA to investigate video showing Allentown police officer kneeling on man

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Allentown Police Department said they have opened an internal investigation after an officer was captured on video kneeling on a man's head/neck area on Saturday night.

The video, posted to Twitter by Black Lives Matter to Lehigh Valley, shows three police officers arresting man outside the emergency room of Saint Luke's Hospital. 

The man is lying on his stomach while the officers attempt to subdue him. During the arrest, one officer allegedly places his knee on the head/neck area of the suspect.

Officials on Sunday said the incident began when officers at the hospital noticed a man vomiting and staggering in the street. Officers confronted the man who allegedly began to yell and spit at the officers and hospital staff.

Police say a struggle ensued when officers tried to restrain the man, which caused the suspect and officers to fall to the ground. According to police, the man was eventually restrained by officers and required a spit shield.

The man, whose identity has not been released by police, was treated at Saint Luke's Hospital and later released.  

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Authorities say an investigation into the incident will be conducted by the Lehigh County District Attorney and the Allentown Police Department. The District Attorney's final review, along with additional videos of the incident, is anticipated later this week.  

The allegations made against the Allentown police department come nearly 2 months after Minnesota man George Floyd died when former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyd's neck. Since then, there have been widespread protests against police brutality and calls to defund police. 

The Allentown Police Department released a statement Sunday that read in part: 

"The district attorney is investigating and an internal investigation on the use of force is being conducted. While the 23-second video is significant, the entirety of the interaction is being reviewed. They plan on releasing other relevant footage later this week."

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