Sims described what viewers and Hicks endured as “traumatic and humiliating.
“It’s very difficult to watch bodycam footage like that, especially as we are all reliving the murder of George Floyd,” said Kody Cross, co-founder of the Akron Minority Council. “It’s a traumatic experience even for the viewers in the general.”
“From my perspective, there was an overly excessive use of force, an abuse of power, even some cruelty, in throwing the snow in Mr. Hicks’ face,” Cross added.
In a statement issued on Facebook, Ward 8 Councilman Malik Shammas, who, along with Ward 5 Councilwoman Tara Samples and Ward 1 Councilman Rich Swirsky, had urged the police department to release the body-worn camera footage ahead of Thursday’s news conference, described his concerns.
Police say footage shared during the news conference shows Turnure s shin not his knee pinning Hicks shoulder, not his neck.
The footage shows an officer identified by supervisors as Turnure repeatedly shoving snow into Hicks open mouth. Afterward, Hicks says, I really can t breathe.
Hicks did not comply with officers; the footage released during the news conference did not show his initial interaction with police.
Ward 5 Councilwoman Tara Samples called the news conference damage control. The bottom line is, just release the footage, she said Thursday morning, before the press conference was scheduled. The allegations made by Mr. Hicks are deeply disturbing, especially in light of the officer s resignation, Ward 8 Councilman Shammas Malik said Thursday morning. We all need to see the body camera footage immediately.