FORT PIERCE, Fla. \u2014 A viral video showing a Fort Pierce police officer taking down a man is drawing backlash online, but police say the clip only tells part of the story.<\/p>\n
Newly released bodycam footage shows what happened in the moments before the takedown, and officers say it changes the picture entirely.<\/p>\n
The bodycam video shows an officer punching and taking down 42-year-old Justin Ikeler before putting him in handcuffs.<\/p>\n
It was a different video \u2014 showing another angle of the encounter, which happened Tuesday just before noon \u2014 that originally spread online and stirred controversy, with some arguing the officer used excessive force.<\/p>\n
But police say the bodycam video shows Ikeler physically assaulting a woman just before the takedown. When officers tried to take him into custody, he refused and \u201cassumed a fighting stance with his fist,\u201d according to police. He was then taken down and handcuffed.<\/p>\n
The incident happened under the South Bridge in Fort Pierce. Multiple people said they witnessed the fight but didn\u2019t want to appear on camera. <\/p>\n
Witnesses said they heard a lot of shouting before seeing the officer take Ikeler to the ground, and said that both Ikeler and the woman had been under the bridge since before the incident started.<\/p>\n
The Fort Pierce Police Department said Ikeler was taken to the St. Lucie County Jail.<\/p>\n
According to county records, Ikeler remains in custody at the St. Lucie County Jail, facing one charge of resisting an officer without violence.<\/p>\n
Police said the woman involved declined to press charges and told officers the dispute began after Ikeler falsely accused her of stealing his wallet.<\/p>\n
The case remains under investigation.<\/p>\n
\ud83c\udfe0 News From Your Neighborhood<\/p>\n
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