Newly released police body cam footage shows the moments before a white police officer attempted to tackle a Black woman walking her dog in a closed park, allegedly unprovoked.
Nikkita Brown said that on Aug. 28 the officer drove up to her as she was walking her dog in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago and told her to leave the area immediately. She said that she was walking out of the park, adhering to his instructions, when the incident occurred.
The video shows that the officer identified himself and showed his badge at Brown’s request. It also shows that Brown repeatedly asked the maskless officer to remain within six feet of her, citing concerns over potential exposure to COVID-19.
“Please don’t. Please respect my space. It’s COVID. Six feet,” Brown said.
“Respect your space? I’m about to put handcuffs on you,” the officer replied.
Brown said she consistently told him, “I am leaving” and “I am walking away,” as she actively walked toward the exit, but he got out of his car and continued to follow her.
The officer got out of his car and told her, “You can go to jail,” according to a video taken by Brown who recorded part of the encounter.
Brown’s attorney identified the officer as Bruce Dyker through his badge.
A Chicago Police Department spokesperson told ABC News earlier this month, “The officer in question has been placed on desk duty as the COPA investigates the video.”
At one point during the argument with Brown — while she had her phone out to record — Dyker ran toward her and attempted to tackle her.
The physical struggle between the two lasted for more than a minute and Dyker repeatedly threatened to arrest Brown. In the end, no arrest was made.
Brown told Good Morning America earlier this month that she believes she was targeted because she’s Black and said she hopes that her speaking out will stop others from being targeted.
“I walked past four kids that were behind me … white males. As soon as I saw the car pull up, I looked behind me to see if he said anything to the kids. He didn’t,” Brown said.
The bodycam video was released last Thursday by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA), the group investigating the incident.
A COPA spokesperson told ABC News that the investigation is ongoing and once it concludes, COPA will send recommendations to the Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown to review.
“Ultimately. we want him fired, given this incident and his horrible disciplinary record,” Brown’s attorney, Keenan Saulter, told ABC News.
Dyker has 24 allegations of misconduct filed against him, three of which resulted in discipline.
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