Outrage after shocking video shows deputies dragging disabled Black man out of car without his wheelchair
CHARLES COUNTY, MARYLAND: A furious uproar was sparked online after a shocking video showed a paralyzed Black man being dragged out of his car without his wheelchair by Maryland deputies who thought he was a wanted criminal.
The victim, who has not been identified, shared the footage on his TikTok handle, saying, “This is how I was treated in Maryland.”
In the now-viral video, an unidentified police officer is seen approaching the Black man after pulling over his family vehicle.
The Black man is then heard explaining to the cop that he is paralyzed, but he is still asked to step out of the vehicle.
Why did Maryland deputies pull out the Black man from his car?
The horrifying video, which was posted on TikTok earlier this week, captured the officer saying, “I'll need you to come out so I can talk to you.”
"No problem. I'm paralyzed, you want me to just come out?" the man then replied.
Despite the man's pleas, the officer opened the door and pulled him out seemingly not realizing the man couldn't walk at all.
"He's paralyzed, he can't walk, he's a paraplegic," the man's wife is heard saying from the back of the car.
As the disabled man collapsed, the officer and his colleague held him and set him down on the ground.
In an effort to figure out what was going on, the man is heard asking the two police officers why he was being pulled out of the car. He was eventually maneuvered back into the car before his wife goes to get his wheelchair.
However, later it was revealed that officers pulled him over as they thought he was involved in a crime that occurred in a different area.
The victim also shared the second part of the video, where the officer is seen putting handcuffs on him as he sits in his wheelchair on the side of the road.
How did the Internet react to shocking footage?
The video has garnered immense social media attention, with thousands of comments calling for justice and denouncing the police's behavior.
The video has received over 3,900 comments, and approximately 50,000 likes, and has been seen more than 660,000 times.
“We truly hate are own! This shit p****s me off, just no respect. The day is coming!” one user wrote under his post.
“Why did he need to get out of the car? This is ridiculous. I'm sorry that this happened,” a second user said, while the third asserted, “That cop knows he’s in big trouble. I hope you get justice for this.”
“What the hell man.. You really handcuffed him. what id he going to do, he has no weapon, has been cooperating,” another one fumed.
"Talk about patience...God bless you sir and tip my hat to you... I hope ya'll get everything sorted out quickly," one more wrote.