Baytown officer seen in controversial arrest video fired
BAYTOWN, Texas (KTRK) -- A Baytown police officer has been fired after he was caught on video hitting a man who was questioning why the officers were arresting a black man.
In a statement sent to ABC13 on Thursday, the Baytown Police Department said Nathaniel Brown was fired on Monday after a "complete and thorough review" of the incident.
The controversial arrest was all caught on cell phone video. It happened outside of the Baytown Market store on June 2.
Officers pulled over a 23-year-old black man for a traffic violation. When officers handcuffed Jostin Moore, two people in front of the store began to make comments about what was happening.
In the video, Brown can be seen crossing the parking lot to the store's front and throwing one of the men on the ground, then kicking him in the head.
READ ALSO: Baytown march calls for swift change after controversial arrest
A second officer confronts another man who was also in front of the store and eventually arrests him.
"After careful review, Chief [Keith] Dougherty concluded that the actions of Officer Brown did not align with the professional standards and values, to which we hold all of our officers," read the statement.
Brown was with the department for nine years.
"The Baytown Police Department takes allegations of wrongdoing or misconduct by our officers very seriously," continued the statement. "The trust and confidence of our community is paramount and as such we hold our officers to the highest levels of integrity as well as moral, ethical and professional standards. Failure to adhere to those standards will not be tolerated and will be dealt with in accordance with the law. We ask that the community continue to place its trust and confidence in our organization and the men and women of the Baytown Police Department who don the badge and uniform every day and proudly serve with honor, integrity and professionalism."
Skylar Gilmore, 24, and Isaiah Phillips, 23, were arrested for disorderly conduct-language, for their public use of profanities.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office initially filed charges against Gilmore for interfering with public duties. ABC13 later learned the DA's office dropped the interfering charge against Gilmore.
READ MORE: DA drops interfering charge against man in controversial Baytown arrest
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