COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - Five additional West Point officers have been placed on paid leave following a viral video from a home security camera, say public information officers. On August 7, Tomeshia Madden captured footage of an officer allegedly throwing one of her security cameras in some bushes and using a derogatory racial slur while referring to her son.
The footage since then has gathered nearly 20,000 views on Facebook and hundreds of shares. The West Point Police Department initially placed one officer, Ofc. Donald Bramblett, on administrative leave immediately following the video’s circulation, saying,
We have been made aware of a video circulating on social media involving one of our officers. Ofc. Bramblett has been placed on administrative leave pending further investigation. Nothing further at this time.
West Point Police Department
However, following a private meeting with Madden’s attorney, Wendell Major, the department has placed the added officers -- Dylan Harmon, Zachary Heyboe, William Osteen, and Detective Elizabeth Wegienka -- on paid leave and turned the investigation over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations.
The department released another statement, adding,
In addition to a prior media release, additional officers have also been placed on paid administrative leave. The West Point Police Department is taking this matter very seriously and has since turned the investigation over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (G.B.I.).
West Point Police Department
According to Major, the officers in the video were there to execute an arrest warrant on Madden’s son for the following:
- Obstruction
- Theft by receiving
- Possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance
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