Four Philadelphia police officers will be fired, and another four disciplined after they werevideotaped beating three suspects, according to media reports Tuesday.
The eight officers were among 18 who surrounded a car in North Philadelphia on May 5 after a shooting between two groups of men during police surveillance of a suspected drug-dealing operation.
Three African-American men were dragged from the car and then kicked by as many as 15 officers, which were filmed by a television news helicopter.
The three men were identified by the police as Dwayne Dyches, 24; Brian Hall, 23; and Pete Hopkins, 19. They were believed to have been involved in the shooting.
The 67-second video has been broadcast repeatedly on local and national television.
"We do have a group of officers whose actions were outside department policy and procedure," said Commissioner Charles Ramsey.
Both Ramsey and Philadelphia's mayor considered the beatings inexcusable, but said race was not a reason that fueled them.
After a two-week examination of the video, an internal police investigation determined the officers used "indiscriminate force" against the suspects, who are now in custody for their alleged role in the drug-related shooting.
Their supervising agent also was demoted for not having taken measures against his colleagues' abusive treatment.
Source:Xinhua
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