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Todd Stanley: Shocking video shows Ohio cop punching Black woman thrice after row over McDonald’s order

In the video, Butler Township Police Sgt Todd Stanley is can be seen striking Latinka Hancock at least three times in the face on Monday, January 16, 2023

DAYTON, OHIO: An investigation has been opened by an Ohio police department after footage showed an officer striking an unarmed Black woman repeatedly after a dispute over a McDonald's order. Butler Township Police Sgt Todd Stanley is can be seen in the video, which was presumably recorded by a bystander, grappling with the woman and striking her at least three times in the face on Monday, January 16, 2023.

The woman, later identified as Latinka Hancock, was then taken into custody by Stanley and his coworker. As the criticism over the incident mounted, it became clear that the incident involving Hancock had preceded a dispute at a McDonald's. According to reports, she returned to the eatery to argue with the workers because she was irate over a wrong order. "She’s mad over a $.30 piece of cheese," the caller told dispatchers, as per WHIO-TV.

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Since the news broke, the frightening footage has been going viral. As per the footage, Hancock can be heard chatting with the officers as she tries to push them away. Tim Zellers, the officer on the left, seems to be pointing a stun gun at Hancock. Stanley, the policeman on the right, holds her arm and shoulder. Stanley strikes Hancock in the face repeatedly while she swings her hands around, causing her to tumble back into the cruiser's hood. The woman is then restrained by the policemen against the vehicle as Zellers handcuffs her. 

"We are aware of the video recorded by a bystander that is circulating on Facebook concerning an incident that occurred on January 16, 2023, involving two of our officers," the department posted on Facebook, adding, "This incident is currently under investigation in accordance with departmental policies and procedures, as is the case whenever force is used in an arrest."

John Porter, the chief of the Butler Township Police Department in the northern Dayton suburbs, promised at a press conference on Wednesday that an impartial inquiry would be conducted. He said that the 22-year police veteran officer had been put on administrative leave. He also asserted that Hancock was resisting the cops' attempts to arrest her for trespassing. "We take these incidents very seriously and we are looking into them and we are going to conduct a thorough investigation," he stated, promising to release all of the police body camera footage. "We’re going to go as deep as we can into this. Like I said, if there’s indications of wrongdoing and against our policy, then we will definitely take formal action," he added.

Meanwhile, social media users lashed out at police for employing excessive force against a person of color. "As long as we do NOT UNITE! And fight collectively this will remain the norm..," wrote a user on Facebook. A user on Twitter said, "How are they allowed to get away with this behaviour? This is not protect & serve its assault! No matter how belligerent she is being it does not warrant being repeatedly punched in the face! Those officers both need to be arrested & forced 2 explain themselves to Justice!"

"This is barbaric and should NEVER happen!" commented a user on Facebook. Another user wrote, "Horrible. Makes me mad and sick. No one deserves that ever."

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