Police say clip of man punched, kicked by cops in Bronx is not full story; he allegedly attacked officers first (WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO)
Thomas Tracy
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Updated: Friday, August 12, 2016, 5:27 PM
A disturbing video surfaced on Friday showing two Bronx cops repeatedly punching and kicking their suspect in the head — despite the fact that he was on the ground being pinned by the officers.
After the clip was posted to Instagram on Friday, police said they have a longer video showing the suspect busting one of the cop's noses. The NYPD did not immediately respond to a request to release the full video.
The video, recorded on May 4, shows a violent struggle between 27-year-old Darnell Simmons and the officers arresting him for a series of burglaries he committed in Manhattan and the Bronx, an NYPD spokesman said.
Police officers detain Darnell Simmons using force in the Bronx in May.
(@hocus45th via Instagram)
Simmons also had a parole warrant hanging over his head when cops confronted him inside a McDonald's on Eastchester Rd.
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The video released on Instagram shows Simmons already subdued. A cop and an onlooker are on top of him as a second officer in a Yankees sweatshirt tries to handcuff him.
Instagram user @gohardboyznyc shared the video of the incident on Friday.
(@hocus45th via Instagram)
That cop, identified by law enforcement sources as Officer Matthew Wright, is seen repeatedly punching Simmons in the face as he lies on the ground.
At one point, Wright knees him in the face as Simmons squirms on the restaurant's blood-speckled floor, the video shows.
Simmons was under arrest for a series of burglaries in Manhattan and the Bronx.
(@Hocus45th via Instagram)
Another cop, identified by sources as Officer Billy Acosta, is seen holding Simmons down. He has a cut on his head, the video shows.
The suspect tried to block the blows, but doesn't appear to be resisting in the edited video.
Officer Matthew Wright, in a Yankees sweatshirt, needed plastic surgery to repair a broken nose and also received several staples to close deep cuts to his head, police said.
(@Hocus45th via Instagram)
Several comments on the Instagram clip were critical of the police.
"He can't do anything there is no reason to hit him at this point at all," wrote a person with the user name karl242. "if you can't grasp that then you are also an animal."
Cops said that before Simmons was taken into custody, he attacked Wright, breaking the cop's nose.
(@Hocus45th via Instagram)
NYPD spokesman Peter Donald said Friday that the incident was referred to the Civilian Complaint Review Board for review around the time it occurred and was subsequently closed. The NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau is conducting a further review of the incident.
Cops said that before Simmons was taken into custody, he attacked Wright, breaking the cop's nose.
Wright needed plastic surgery to repair the broken nose and also received several staples to close deep cuts to his head, according to police and court documents.
(@Hocus45th via Instagram)
Wright needed plastic surgery to repair the broken nose and also received several staples to close deep cuts to his head, according to police and court documents.
Acosta suffered two herniated discs, as well as other minor injuries, while struggling with Simmons.
Officer Billy Acosta suffered two herniated discs, while Simmons had minor injuries, police said.
(@Hocus45th via Instagram)
The fight was so brutal that five witnesses called 911, claiming that two cops were being beaten, a police source said.
Things got so out of hand that one bystander, a man in a light blue shirt, jumped in and helped hold Simmons down.
"If he stops fighting, I won't hit him," the bystander is heard screaming to outraged witnesses, demanding the cops stop wailing on Simmons.
Both Wright and Acosta were taken to Jacobi Hospital.
Simmons was also taken to Jacobi Hospital with minor injuries. He was later charged with multiple counts of assault, menacing and disorderly conduct.
His case — as well as the burglary charges against him — was still pending in court, officials said.
