A 17-year-old boy who was arrested Friday appeared to have been pistol-whipped by an Anaheim police officer after allegedly attempting to carjack an SUV in Lynwood, according to authorities and video that went viral over the weekend on social media incorrectly claiming the officer was with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Anaheim police spokesman Sgt. Matt Sutter said officers were attempting to arrest the ninth and final suspect believed to have been involved in a smash-and-grab robbery at a jewelry store on Jan. 23.
The use of force by the Anaheim officer on the suspect, a South Gate resident, was under internal review by the department as is any use of force “whether minor or major,” Sutter said.
The video shows an Anaheim officer wearing a black vest with “Anaheim Police” on the back moving in front of an SUV while the suspect at one point attempts to get into a back passenger door. The suspect then goes around toward the sidewalk and appears to put his hands up before the officer hits him in the face and another officer then tackles him to the ground.
Anaheim police spotted the suspect in a car the area of School Street and Cedar Avenue around 2:15 p.m., Sutter said. The suspect got out of the car and ran into a home and “scared those residents who then got out and ran for their own safety.”
The suspect ran again and officers attempted to deploy a Taser, but it didn’t work, Sutter said. That’s when the suspect attempted to carjack two vehicles, including the SUV seen on the video.
Inside the suspect’s car, officers found a gun, a ski mask and an electronic device used to steal vehicles, Sutter said. The suspect also had an outstanding felony warrant in LA County.
Anaheim police called for backup from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department while attempting to apprehend the suspect, Sutter said.
The suspect was allegedly part of a crew that stole jewelry from Classic Jewelers, 5753 E. Santa Ana Canyon Road, in Anaheim Hills on Jan. 23. The suspects used a stolen SUV to ram the store before running inside and using trash cans, crowbars and hammers to smash every showcase, according to the store’s owner, Ramzy Tabello.
In all, the damage and stolen jewelry were estimated to be worth about $800,000, Orange County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Kimberly Edds said.
The suspects abandoned the SUV at the store and fled in two Dodge Chargers, but someone in the store took photos of the license plates and police were able to find them both in Fullerton. A short time later, the driver’s of both cars were involved in traffic crashes.
Eight suspects were arrested, including one juvenile, police said. At least one firearm and jewelry were found.
The seven adults have since been charged by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and face maximum sentences between 13 years and life in prison if convicted, OCDA spokeswoman Kimberly Edds said. One of the suspects was a second-striker who was also wearing an ankle monitor.
The seven adult suspects were all 19- to 24-years old from Los Angeles, Inglewood and Compton, according to the DA’s office.