Charleston cop to black children: ‘Don’t go to church and get hurt’
theGrio REPORT - Charleston police are investigating a viral video that shows a local police officer refer to the recent church massacre as a threat to a group of black children.
Charleston police are investigating a viral video that shows a local police officer refer to the recent church massacre as a threat to a group of black children.
The video shows a group of minors hurling insults at an officer’s patrol car as he drives past. There is no context for what provoked the confrontation, yet just before the video ends, the officer appears to threaten the children by saying: “Don’t go to church and get hurt.”
The statement is referencing the nine black churchgoers who were shot to death on June 17th at Charleston’s historic African Methodist Episcopal Church.
The officer is calm when he says it and also appears to be recording the encounter.
Watch the exchange between the officer and the children below: (*Warning: Explicit Language*)
According to WCSC-TV, witnesses say the video was recorded Monday in the Ardmore subdivision in West Ashle.
A spokesman for the police department said the officer’s actions were under investigation.
“(We will) continue to demonstrate through both words and actions that we are here to provide safety, security and comfort to the families, church and community,” said the department spokesman, Charles Francis.
