Police Trainee 'Nearly Knocked Out' in Viral Dispute

A suspect nearly knocked out a police trainee and assaulted a second officer, according to Interim Police Commissioner Kevin Davis, who spoke to the press after a video of the incident went viral online.

“...it’s a moment we should all take to examine the environment,” Davis said. “And the environment right now for whatever reason seems to prompt this type of scenario.”

This was the scenario, according to Davis: Two officers were walking on South Broadway in southeast Baltimore around noon on Tuesday when ”their attention was drawn” to a person shouting obscenities.

“...his behavior was abnormal. His behavior was disorderly,” Davis said. “Police officers exist to stand between that disruption and the community.”

Davis noted the incident took place in a community with both residences and businesses.

“The community has a real expectation of us to go investigate it and check out what’s going on,” he said. “That’s just in fact what these two police officers did. They were met by our suspect. He did not have a shirt on, and he continued to yell and scream obscenities.”

The individual told the officers not to touch him, and when they got closer, all parties became confrontational, and he swung at both officers and knocked one to the ground, according to video posted to WorldStarHipHop by a user named JaNay.

“They gave him every opportunity to calm down, but there comes a point in time where they have to effect an arrest,” Davis said. ”The man involved assaulted both police officers, nearly knocked out...the trainee...”

A group of citizens flagged down another officer nearby to alert him to the situation, and the individual was placed under arrest, Davis said.

James Young, 21, of the 1200 block of East Lafayette Avenue, is charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault on a law enforcement officer, two counts of second-degree assault, resisting/interfering with an arrest, disorderly conduct and failing to obey a reasonable and lawful order, according to court records.

“There was more than enough probable cause to effect an arrest,” Davis said. “...the person we arrested announced on several occasions that he was going to ’f’ up the police officers.”

The policeman in training had minor injuries to his chin, according to Davis, who said he planned to speak with both officers Friday to check in.

“I think the officers showed remarkable restraint,” Davis said. “I think we did the right thing in a difficult situation.”

Still shot from WorldStarHipHop.