PITTSBURGH \u2014 Pittsburgh Public Safety is reviewing an officer\u2019s use of force after a Downtown arrest Monday that left a 31-year-old man hospitalized, according to his family. <\/p>\n
The incident happened near Fifth Avenue and Wood Street, a busy Downtown intersection outside PNC Bank and near a police substation just after 5:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
Camri Cosby said her brother, Roy Cosby, is now out of the hospital and recovering. <\/p>\n
She said he suffered broken ribs, a broken eye socket and bleeding in his brain.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy brother did not have to be treated like that over a bus,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Camri Cosby said her brother became upset after a bus he had been waiting for passed his stop. <\/p>\n
She said he ran to the next stop and got on the bus there. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe was just a little upset that he had to do all that running, so it wasn\u2019t really no conflict with the bus driver and him, but the bus driver did tell him to get off the bus,\u201d she said. \u201cHe was like \u2018well since I just ran all the way down here, I just want to go home, I don\u2019t want to get off the bus\u2019, and he said \u2018well if you don\u2019t get off the bus, then that\u2019s when we\u2019re going to have to call the police.\u201d<\/p>\n
Public Safety officials said two Pittsburgh police officers, working an off-duty assignment at PNC Bank, responded to help Port Authority police with a man reportedly causing a disturbance on a bus.<\/p>\n
Officials said officers removed Cosby from the bus. <\/p>\n
They allege he cursed loudly and refused to leave the area.<\/p>\n
Authorities said the officers then took Cosby into custody and used force during the arrest.<\/p>\n
Ella Plummer witnessed the incident and began recording shortly after, she said, an officer made physical contact with Cosby. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe one cop started punching him in the face,\u201d Plummer said. \u201cHis whole eye was black, it was swollen, there was blood dripping down his face.\u201d<\/p>\n
Plummer said she believes the force used was unnecessary. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat was way too much, and he wasn\u2019t even resisting,\u201d she said. \u201cThere was no need to punch him in the face. There was no need to even put him on the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cosby\u2019s family is now demanding accountability and consequences for the officer\u2019s use of force. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou beat him to the point where you had to take him to the hospital,\u201d Camri Cosby said. \u201cPunishment is well needed here because this is very much unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Officers released Cosby shortly after the arrest and took him to a hospital, according to Public Safety.<\/p>\n
The Citizens Police Review Board said it is \u201cvery concerned\u201d about the use of force and has opened an inquiry. <\/p>\n
Channel 11 understands the two officers involved were not on leave as of Tuesday night.<\/p>\n
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