Maryland College Releases Police Body Cam Footage of Pepper Spray Incident

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — The University of Maryland has released footage of campus police using pepper spray to try to break up an off-campus graduation party attended primarily by African-American students.

News outlets report that two officer body cameras were released Monday involving the May 22 incident at an apartment near the College Park campus. Authorities say it began with what later turned out to be a false 911 call about a fight at the party. Those who made the call are facing false-reporting charges.

Image source: WRC-TV

The first video shows officers speaking with a group of people outside who tell them there was a fight inside and possibly someone armed with a bat.

The second video shows officers entering and later deploying pepper spray. The police chief has since apologized for the officers not properly de-escalating the situation.

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