Investigation Into Video Of Cops Handling Norristown Streetfight

NORRISTOWN, PA — Police are investigating after a video showing two officers breaking up a street fight has gone viral on social media.

The video appears to show police breaking up two women wrestling in the street. The officers do not appear to use force, beyond separating the pair. One of the officers takes one of the women involved off away from the other combatant, and begins to arrest her.

That's when a bystander appears to approach, and the officer draws his firearm, telling him to back up. The bystander puts his hands up and backs up, and the officer holsters his weapon.

The video, posted to Instagram, also shows bystanders throwing cans and other trash either at police or at the women fighting as they try to break up the scrum.

Norristown Police Chief Mark Talbot said that authorities are conducting a full investigation and that an outside agency is reviewing the video to provide an unbiased source.

Talbot said he "understood" the concerns that had been expressed on social media about the video, which appear to center around pulling the gun and perhaps words said by an officer to the women fighting.

"During the course of my nearly five years as police chief, the Norristown Police Department has developed a tremendous reputation for serving our community," he said in a statement. "We’ve built this reputation through thousands of acts of kindness and compassion. We do not take lightly the trust and confidence that we have been granted by the public."

More information will be provided as it becomes available.

Warning: video and post below has explicit language.

A post shared by @miink__ on Jun 4, 2018 at 4:01pm PDT

Patch file photo