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‘Wild’ arrest video featuring cops, suspects, and bystanders goes viral, sparks NYPD investigation
Image source: New York Post video screenshot

‘Wild’ arrest video featuring cops, suspects, and bystanders goes viral, sparks NYPD investigation

If you're not exactly sure what you're watching in this video, don't worry — you're not alone

New York City police officers are being investigated following a viral video that shows two officers facing off with two men who were reportedly disturbing fellow passengers on a city subway.

As the two officers squared off with the suspects, several other bystanders entered the fray in what appeared to be an attempt to help police subdue the subjects.

What are the details?

The New York Post obtained the video — which the outlet referred to as "wild" — featuring the two officers in question striking at the suspects with batons. The incident occurred Tuesday.

In the video, you can see one of the unnamed officers swinging his baton at one of the suspects. When he misses, a second officer uses his baton and makes contact with the side of the suspect's head.

The second suspect immediately intervenes and confronts the officer, as the video continues. The second suspect and the second officer struggle and fall to the ground, where they begin wrestling.

Several bystanders jump in in what appears to be an attempt to diffuse the situation.

Police later identified the suspects as 37-year-old Sidney Williams and 36-year-old Aaron Grissom. Both suspects were arrested and later charged with felony assault, resisting arrest, menacing, disorderly conduct, and loitering. Additionally, Williams was charged separately for aggravated harassment.

Police confirmed that the two NYPD officers engaged the suspects on a train platform, and got into an altercation resulting from their purported behavior on the train.

The incident is being investigated by the Internal Affairs department. Mayor Bill de Blasio called video of the incident "really troubling."

Anything else?

In a statement to the Post, Grissom compared his interaction with the police officers to that of Rodney King, whom Los Angeles officers viciously beat in 1991.

According to a Wednesday article in the outlet, Grissom — who the Post says has an extensive record of run-ins with the police — said, "I got beat down like I'm Rodney King."

Grissom also said that officers racially profiled him and nearly killed him, to boot.

"This was on purpose. They've been going at me for the past two, three months … Call me bitches, n****s and everything," Grissom added. "Who the two black men getting locked up? For standing for their rights?….My lawyer gonna get all of this."

Grissom was reportedly left with several broken ribs and five staples in his head.

According to the Post, Grissom "didn't have any visible marks on him" when they encountered him for a comment.

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