Student Slammed by Cop in Viral Video Wants an Apology
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ABC News(TUCSON, Ariz.) — Christina Gardilcic wants an apology.
The 21-year-old college student, in an exclusive interview with ABC News, said a police officer slammed into her during last weekend’s riot in Tucson, Arizona, after the University of Arizona’s defeat in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
Video of the alleged incident has spread across the Internet, and Gardilcic said her arm is still bruised. Gardilcic said she was simply walking with her friends when the incident she considers excessive force took place.
“He hit me with kind of his whole body, but he had a baton, so he kind of used that as his force,” she said. “I was blindsided.”
Gardilcic says she did not cross police lines and was never told she could not be in the area.
She was not arrested.
Tucson Police say the officer, 18-year veteran Sgt. Joel Mann, has received so many threats that the department changed his assignment for his safety. Internal affairs is investigating the video, along with more than 100 hours of footage captured by police themselves, the department told ABC News.
“The department will thoroughly investigate this incident to determine the facts and circumstances surrounding the department’s respond to the entire incident,” according to a police statement.
While authorities say they have been in contact with Gardilcic, she says she hasn’t heard a word from police.
“I would like the police to recognize that it was a problem and not only for me but for other people as well,” she said. “I would like an apology from them accepting that it happened and they apologize for it because I really want to take this opportunity to address this problem.”
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