Bodycam, surveillance shows Oklahoma City officer using force to arrest a 71-year-old man
By: -----
In the video, taken nearly two weeks ago, a 71-year-old man can be seen being detained after a traffic violation.
It’s a story many have been curious about whether the officer used excessive force. The man has been hospitalized ever since, and the video has many people calling for justice.
In the footage, the officer and the local Vietnamese man started arguing about a traffic accident and a citation for an improper U-turn and ended up with the man on the ground.
"There is some very, very much uncalled-for excessive force and, I think, as a community, we are hurt by that,” said Thuan Nguyen, president-elect of the Vietnamese American Community of Oklahoma.
Nguyen said tens of thousands of Vietnamese people call Oklahoma City their home.
"We are a part of Oklahoma's history. We belong to Oklahoma's history,” Nguyen said.
He says he’s disappointed to see what the body-worn camera footage showed after reading the police report.
"Some of the statements that I saw doesn't seem to jive with what the body camera portrayed ... it could have been taken in a different way and in a different approach instead of having to body slam a 71-year-old Asian male who has language barriers,” Nguyen said.
Nguyen said he and other Vietnamese people have been talking with Oklahoma City police this week, going over what’s next and what needs to be done.
When the Oklahoma City Police Department posted the video online on Friday, they shared a statement, not just in English, but in Vietnamese, too.
"Many, many times in many certain situations, we have language barriers that sometimes police or people in different areas don't understand,” Nguyen said.
The man’s family has been speaking with KOCO 5 for a week, giving updates on his condition.
"Mr. Vu is recovering. It's a slow recovery. He's still hospitalized as far as I know,” Nguyen said. "We need to actually keep our police department accountable for the actions they've done."
In the statement, Oklahoma City police said they are “dedicated to transparency.”
"We want our community to know that this case is being thoroughly investigated, and the review process will take time to complete. We ask for your patience as we work to conclude this investigation,” police officials wrote.