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Watch: Colorado police officer criticized for violently slamming 22-year-old woman to the ground
A police car with lights flashing is pictured on October 2, 2010 in Bremen. Ft. Collins, Colorado police are under criticism for their handling of an arrest of a 22-year-old female. (JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images)

Watch: Colorado police officer criticized for violently slamming 22-year-old woman to the ground

Colorado police are investigating an incident after a video surfaced of a Fort Collins police officer slamming a young woman to the ground during an arrest on Thursday.

The woman, who has been identified as 22-year-old Michelle Surat, can be seen in the video confronting the officer before he violently slams her onto the pavement. Police said they were dispatched to the scene after a disturbance call at a local bar involving Surat's boyfriend, and that Surat became irritated and "shoulder-checked" one of the bouncers and an officer before trying to grab her boyfriend and leave.

Officers said Surat, a junior at Colorado State University, assaulted the officer. "The officers told her that her boyfriend was not free to leave but that she could go," said Fort Collins police spokeswoman Kate Kimble. "She remained at the scene, at which time she physically obstructed and struck an officer."

Kimble called the maneuver a "standard arrest control" technique, but said police are still investigating the body camera video footage.

"As this is still an open case, body camera video is not being released at this time," Kimble said.

Fort Collins police chief John Hutto said in a statement that he will release the body camera footage, and that the video clip captured from bystanders lacks context.

"I have a duty to preserve and protect the processes that our society has put in place to ensure that the questions surrounding this incident are answered in a fair and impartial manner," Hutto said. "I have no control over the video that is already in the public domain, but I do have control over the release of the video evidence from our body worn cameras."

Surat was arrested and charged with assaulting an officer and obstruction. She is scheduled for a court hearing on Wednesday.

 

 

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