Justice · Police use of forceAuburn Way North arrest: New videos expand account of at least 20 punchesAired October 30, 2026 at 11:33 AM UTCWritten October 30, 2026 at 11:41 AM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:07An officer punches a man at least twenty times while holding him down in the road.0:10Auburn police have released more recordings, and the officer is on leave during an0:14internal investigation.0:16The man has been booked and released on bond.0:18Investigators still have to determine whether each use of force was justified.0:22Police responded around three fifteen Wednesday afternoon to Auburn Way North at0:26thirty-seven Street Northeast.0:28Dispatchers had received calls about a man running into traffic and trying to enter0:31passing vehicles.0:32The encounter happened October twenty eight.0:35A nearby car dealership worker, Todd A.0:37Fee Sr.0:38encountered the man while accompanying a customer on a test drive.0:41He said the man moved in front of their car, then grabbed other vehicles' door0:45handles as drivers slowed.0:46Fee also questioned the punches and said officers had opportunities to de-escalate.0:50The officer delivers at least twenty punches in the roughly minute.0:54Long bystander recording.0:55The count is approximate.0:57He straddles the shirtless man, holds him down with one hand and punches with the1:00other, then switches fists.1:02The man raises his hands to shield himself.1:04The officer restrains a wrist while continuing to strike.1:07With traffic passing only feet away, that bystander recording misses the beginning1:11and aftermath.1:12No other officers appear in that clip, but the later recordings shows several1:16officers at the scene.1:17The department placed the officer on administrative leave Wednesday, October20,8 ,1:22pending a full investigation.1:24Thursday brought the additional recordings and confirmation of the man's booking and1:27release on bond.1:28The leave puts the officer's employment status under review while investigators1:32examine his conduct.1:33Police released available body, camera, dash, camera and traffic, camera recordings.1:39Their account says the man refused commands and struggled when the officer tried to1:42handcuff him after using a taser.1:44Police say four officers eventually restrained him, and fire personnel were called1:48because he continued screaming and resisting after being handcuffed.1:51The released body camera recording runs eighteen minutes.1:54The officer approaches the man in the roadway and orders him down.1:56Warning he'll use a taser.1:58He fires it, and the man screams and falls.2:00The officer turns him over to attempt handcuffing.2:03The man tries to turn back around.2:04It's unclear whether he attempts to hit the officer at that point.2:07The officer then begins punching him in the face.2:10The camera captures six closed fist punches before it falls to the ground.2:14For about three minutes, the body camera records pavement.2:17A different surveillance angle appears to show the man trying to wrap an arm around2:20the officer while being punched.2:22During the encounter, the officer says, Stop grabbing my gear.2:25The officer later tells a medic the man was pushing on his face and trying to grab2:29his hair.2:30He also says he believed the man had been attempting a carjacking.2:33That's the officer's explanation of what he thought was happening.2:36His account of a possible gun grab includes an explicit uncertainty.2:39The officer tells the medic, I think he grabbed my gun.2:42I'm not one hundred percent sure.2:44So I started just delivering strikes.2:46The recordings leave the possible gun grab unresolved.2:49Investigators must assess that explanation alongside the movements and threats at2:52each stage.2:53When another officer reattaches the camera, several officers are restraining the2:56man.2:57The officer who punched him has bloodied knuckles.2:59He asks, Can you roll my sleeves back?3:01So I at least look cool.3:03Later, he says, Well, this'll be one for the books, before leaving for hospital3:07treatment.3:08The man remains on the ground yelling, I'm sorry.3:10Police confirmed the man was booked for non felony controlled substance possession,3:15disorderly conduct, obstruction, and attempted assault, then released on bond.3:19These are booking allegations.3:20They haven't resulted in a conviction in this case.3:23The initial anticipated booking list also included resisting arrest and specified3:27third degree attempted assault.3:29The later confirmation omitted resisting arrest and didn't specify an assault3:33degree.3:33Police haven't explained that difference.3:35Spokesperson Colby Crossley said the man is thirty three and initially described3:39both men's injuries as minor.3:41Both went to hospitals for evaluation.3:43Police practices consultant Jerry Rodriguez spent thirty-five years in law3:47enforcement.3:48He says a criminal inquiry examines whether force was legally justified.3:51An administrative inquiry also examines the officer's compliance with policy,3:55procedures, and training before, during and immediately after the encounter.3:58Auburn's rules require force to be objectively reasonable.4:01Officers also have a duty to intervene against unreasonable force.4:05Investigators must examine whether each use of force remained necessary.4:09What chances existed to de-escalate and whether others could and should have4:12intervened.4:12Former King County Sheriff John Urquhart called the footage jarring while urging a4:16thorough investigation before judgment.4:18Pastor LaShun Lambert says Auburn's police advisory committee hasn't met since4:22December2020.5.4:23A committee member himself, he wants an active civilian voice.4:26He said he offered to resign if that would allow meetings to continue.4:29Lombert says he retains faith in Chief Mark Kaye and other leaders, but wants policy4:34and public dialogue that sustain trust.4:36He warned against unfairly demonizing an officer or allowing a dangerous officer to4:40escape accountability.4:41Police and Mayor Nancy Bacchus haven't answered questions about the committee's4:44hiatus.4:45The new recordings provide context before the punches and after the restraint.4:49Whether every strike was justified remains unresolved.4:52Police haven't said who's conducting the internal review or whether a criminal4:55investigation is also underway.4:57The department promises further updates as information becomes appropriate to5:01release, but has announced no completion deadline.Explore with HeyDexFollow via RSS
