A TikTok video showing a Vallejo police officer punching a woman has gone viral.
The 50-second video shows the end of a police chase after a burglary.
On Friday, a business near Gateway Plaza Shopping Center was burglarized. According to the Vallejo Police Department, this started a pursuit in which the suspect was recklessly driving a blue Nissa Altima and crashed into a truck.
Authorities said the woman resisted arrest and tried to escape.
In the video, the officer is seen pulling the woman out of the car and slamming her against the truck. He is also seen punching the woman at least once.
Friday’s incident began when around $2,000 worth of merchandise was stolen from a business on the 1100 block of Admiral Callaghan Lane.
The Nissan Altima was seen leaving with those items.
Officers tried to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver refused and ran a red light, and collided with two vehicles.
After the collision, the passenger of the Nissan ran away. The driver was not able to escape as the officer had apprehended her.
The passenger who attempted to run away was caught shortly after.
VPD said the woman actively continued to resist arrest, which prompted the officer to punch her.
“Once the suspect was on the ground, she continued to actively resist, pivoting her body and gauging the officer’s arm in an attempt to escape, prompting him to strike her once to gain immediate compliance,” the department wrote in a Facebook post. “Thus, the officer was able to detain the suspect.”
Both the woman and the officer were injured in the incident.
The suspect was injured from the car crash and the officer from trying to arrest the woman.
The driver and the passenger of the Nissan were both taken into custody, according to VPD. They also stole another $1,000 worth of merchandise from the same business on Sept. 26.
Records show the driver was on felony probation for grand theft and shoplifting, police said. She was also arrested on Oct. 4 for allegedly stealing $30,00 worth of merchandise from another business.
The incident will be reviewed under the department’s use of force policy.
