FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CBS12) — The Fort Pierce Police Department has released body camera and independent video footage on Wednesday after a social media clip showing officers in a physical altercation with a homeless man under the South Bridge sparked criticism and concern online.

Police said the video circulating on social media captured only a brief portion of the encounter and did not show the events that led to officers using force. To provide what the department called the “fullest possible understanding” of the incident, FPPD released body-worn camera footage along with additional video showing the moments before and during the arrest.

According to police, the incident unfolded at about 11:47 a.m. Tuesday on Seaway Drive near the Seaway Bridge. Officers said they witnessed 42-year-old Justin Ikeler physically assaulting an adult woman and immediately intervened.

In an incident report, Officer Kyle MacCarthy wrote that he and Deputy Chief E. Chan were conducting a close patrol near the St. Lucie County Historical Museum when they observed Ikeler shove a woman to the ground, threaten her verbally and raise a water jug in a threatening manner.

MacCarthy said he jumped a fence, approached Ikeler and identified himself as a police officer while wearing a department-issued shirt displaying a badge and police insignia. When he attempted to detain Ikeler, the officer wrote that Ikeler pulled away and responded,:

You’re not going to f****** touch me, see what happens!”

According to the report, Ikeler claimed the woman had stolen his wallet, but continued refusing officers’ lawful commands despite efforts to de-escalate the situation. Police said a second attempt to detain him also failed when he pulled away and ran. Officers reported that Ikeler then turned toward them, clenched his fists and assumed a fighting stance.

MacCarthy wrote that he struck Ikeler’s left forearm to break his defensive posture before pulling him downward and delivering two strikes to his upper torso. The report states Ikeler fell to the ground but continued resisting by pulling his arms away from officers. A distraction knee strike was then delivered to his forearms, followed by another knee strike to his abdomen after he allegedly ignored repeated commands to stop resisting. Officers then placed him in handcuffs.

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Police said the woman involved declined to press charges and told officers the dispute began after Ikeler falsely accused her of stealing his wallet. The report states the woman and Ikeler were not involved in a romantic relationship.

Ikeler was arrested on a charge of resisting arrest without violence and transported to the St. Lucie County Jail. Police said he suffered minor abrasions during the encounter.

The department said short clips posted online often fail to capture the full sequence of events or the totality of the circumstances officers face when making split-second decisions. FPPD urged the public not to draw conclusions based solely on partial recordings.

The department said in a news release:

The Fort Pierce Police Department remains committed to transparency, accountability, and maintaining the trust of the community we serve.”

Police said the investigation remains active.