Video shows cop punching teen in face so hard she FLEW OFF HER FEET during armed BF's arrest
HARLEM, NEW YORK CITY: A male NYPD detective shockingly struck a woman in the face as cops tried to apprehend her boyfriend, who is suspected of having attempted murder. Tamani Crum, 19, was knocked to the ground by NYPD cop Kendo Kinsey after she interfered while police were trying to detain Elvin James, 22, in Harlem.
The shocking video captures the detective approaching her and slapping her during the frightening exchange that occurred at 5 pm on Tuesday, August 30. Activists and her family were outraged by the incident and criticized the chief cop for touching the woman. The NYPD swiftly came to the officer's defense, pointing out that James had a gun and that her attempts to halt the arrest might have been fatal.
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The video captured a tumultuous scene as an army of police officers engaged a crowd of individuals outside of an apartment building on W136 Street in Harlem. As James was being detained by the police and a fight broke out between them, spectators could be heard yelling loudly. Then, a small woman in a skirt identified as Crum ran into the commotion and started talking to James. She then got into a fight with Officer Kinsey after he attempted to yank her out of the crowd by jabbing his arm at her head. But when she slapped at Kinsey's arm, he hit her in the face with such force that she flew off her feet and landed on the sidewalk on her back.
The video didn't reveal if she had hit her head on the pavement but she was seen clutching her face with both hands and appearing confused as the crowd yelled.
As people surrounded the officers, someone from the crowd yelled, "Why'd you do that! She's just a little girl! You're wilding, bro!" Kinsey and another officer then gently assisted the woman to her feet, handcuffed her, and led her away while she remained silent and had a blank look on her face.
The shocking video was condemned by activists and Crum's family, who also questioned Kinsey's conduct.
Crum's grandmother Julia said, "He cold knocked her out. He's not better than the people who are knocking people out in the street..." She added, "He should never have put his hands on her or any female. He's wrong. He's wrong. He's wrong."
James was immediately taken into custody after becoming a wanted person in relation to a homicide on August 12. "He was discovered in possession of a loaded gun and a sizable quantity of controlled substances," the NYPD told DailyMail.
According to the police, Crum and Faith Harrell, 27, were also detained on suspicion of resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer. A court summons was issued to a third woman, 26, who has not been identified, for spitting on a police officer.
A source of NYPD told the Daily News, "That guy had a loaded firearm on him. If she was successful in stopping the arrest, then he could have pulled that gun and hurt someone." Another added, "A lot of people see cops struggling and wrestling with people. But they have to understand that punching someone is a justifiable action too." Although Kinsey told the Daily Beast that he was "very much aware" of the video, he chose not to elaborate.
DEA Statement on Detective Assaulted While Arresting Armed Man in Harlem pic.twitter.com/01s8XIsNlw
— Detectives' Endowment Association (@NYCPDDEA) August 31, 2022
Detectives' Endowment Association President Paul DiGiacomo stated, "Criminals in NY have grown accustomed to there being no consequences for their dangerous, illegal actions — but when you assault a New York City Detective in order to interfere with an arrest of a man armed with a gun there are repercussions." He added, "As the DEA explores a possible civil suit on behalf of our dedicated member against the woman who attacked him, we urge politicians to open their eyes and see the public safety disaster they've created." He also criticized Al Sharpton, a civil rights activist, saying, "As for Al Sharpton's insane comments, he should be worried about the thousands of actual crime victims in this city and not the limelight and lining of his pockets."
DiGiacomo also told Daily Mail, "They (Sharpton) said they're going to be filing a civil suit. We're going to be looking to file a civil suit as well, against the woman." He later defended Kinsey's actions and said, "This individual (James) was in possession of a loaded, illegal firearm, and her interference in that arrest could have cost the police officers as well as other innocent people their lives because they had to divert their attention away from the armed suspect to her."
In 2005, Kinsey worked as a cop for the NYPD. He works in the 32nd Precinct and was appointed a detective specialist in 2021. In a 2017 NYPD recruitment video, Kinsey talked about how he felt privileged to work in the same precinct as Samuel Battle, the city's first black police officer, who started his career there in 1911.
The detective said, "When I decided to become a police officer, I thought that I wanted to be a great African American police officer so I can change my community." Mentioning Samuel Battle, the city's first black police officer, who started his career there in 1911, Kinsey said, "Because he was there for the people, the people loved him, he love the peopled, he was there to fight for the people. Being an NCO in Harlem, that's also what I'm here for."