LAPD Releases Footage Of Officer's Altercation With Homeless Man

LOS ANGELES, CA —The Los Angeles Police Department released body camera footage of an officer punching an unarmed homeless man in the head and upper body in Boyle Heights in late April. The footage was released almost a week after footage of the incident was captured on a cellphone and was leaked, drawing public outcry.

In a 17-minute video that the LAPD released Tuesday, Chief Michael Moore prefaces the video of the incident involving “a significant use of force” that occurred within the department’s Hollenbeck division. In the video, Moore says that like, others, he watched the footage of the incident that was captured last week.

“I have serious concerns,” Moore says in the video while calling the footage “disturbing.”

But, Moore says, "one video does not tell the whole story" and said he will not pass judgement until an investigation is completed and interviewed witnesses.

The body camera video shows officers approaching the man after receiving a call from a property owner who claimed the man was trespassing on a vacant lot next to a church in the 2400 block of Houston Street.

As officers approach, the man begins to walk away with his bicycle. As he converses with an officer the Los Angeles Times identified Tuesday as Frank Hernandez, the man stops and gets into a verbal altercation with the officer. The man is then told to put his hands behind his back before he begins to curse at the officer. Hernandez, The Times reported, has been assigned to home pending an internal investigation into the matter.

In a federal lawsuit filed against the LAPD Monday, the homeless man is identified as Richard Castillo, who, according to the filing identifies Castillo as a long-time Boyle Heights resident. In the suit, which was filed Monday in Los Angeles federal court, Castillo maintains that the church has never asked him to leave the vacant lot, which is occasionally used for parking. According to reports, Castillo said he was terrified for his life during the incident in which he suffered substantial pain and suffering.

Warning: The video attached contains violence and profanity.