Video: Suspect appears to bite officer during arrest; officer punches suspect in effort to escape
SARASOTA, Fla. - Body camera video released by the Sarasota Police Department shows a violent arrest where multiple officers tried to take a suspect into custody.
Bystanders also recorded the tussle and said officers went too far by punching the suspect during the arrest. The Sarasota Police Department released body camera video to show a different view of events.
It happened Sunday, January 22 at the Express Grocery store on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Way in Sarasota. Officers were there to arrest 36-year-old Darryl Williams, who was accused of beating a pregnant woman the day before.
A body-worn camera recorded as an SPD officer pulled up to the store and got out of his cruiser. As he approached the business, another officer and the suspect burst through the front door.
The men appeared to be fighting, with their arms interlocked. They fell to the ground in the parking lot. Other officers rushed in to help, including the one whose body camera video was publicly released.
It took the group of officers about 10 minutes to get Williams in handcuffs and into the back of a police vehicle.
Full video from Sarasota PD on Youtube
During the arrest, several bystanders recorded video. One man kneels to see that the suspect is OK.
The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Darryl Williams, screamed and struggled throughout the arrest. At one point, he was able to grab one side of the handcuffs, preventing the officers from placing them on his wrists.
During the struggle, Williams bit down on an officer's hand. The video appeared to show Williams' teeth on the skin between the officer's thumb and index finger, for about 10 seconds.
During that time, the officer hit William on the head with his closed fist between 8-10 times. Then the officer broke free.
A few seconds later, an officer's hand came back into view, holding Williams by the shoulder. The hand appeared to be bleeding.
The officer's face is obstructed from view and the police department said his identity is being withheld at this time, under Marsy's Law.
Williams was taken to jail in Sarasota County and held without bond.
He faces charges four felony charges: aggravated battery on a pregnant woman, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting officer with violence with serious injury.