Supporters of a Rochester family who say their son was subjected to excessive force by Rochester police officers were shown surveillance video of the incident today, but the Blue Light Camera video only shows the moments before the incident. It happened during a meeting with Mayor Lovely Warren and Police Chief Michael Ciminelli this morning.
Seventeen-year-old Ricky Bryant and his mother say he was knocked off his bike and beaten by a number of officers while riding his bike away from the Puerto Rican festival. The officers were looking for a reported person with a gun riding a bike.
The Reverend Lewis Stewart of United Christian Leadership Ministries was in the meeting…he says the video shows Bryant on his bike being surrounded by police cars and the bike falling over. But he says buildings blocked the view of what happened after that. He says police “bombarded” Bryant, who was hit with pepper balls and a Taser while being subdued.
Police Chief Michael Ciminelli questions the word “bombarded.” He says the video only shows the officers’ original approach and could be taken out of context because the rest of the action can’t be seen.
Meanwhile, the head of Rochester’s patrol officers union says Ricky Bryant was dealt with forcefully because he didn’t obey police orders and resisted being detained.
Mike Mazzeo of the Police Locust Club says a rapid response team had been called for a man on a bike allegedly firing a gun. He says the 17-year-old turned to flee when officers ordered him off his bike, so the officers fired pepper balls at him, forced him down and restrained him when he struggled.
The Bryants say their son was Tasered on the ground and beaten without explanation and was never charged with anything.