CORAL SPRINGS, FLA. (WSVN) - A Coral Springs Police officer is facing charges months after a troubling video surfaced that showed him kneeing a handcuffed man in the head.
On Thursday, 7News learned the Broward County State Attorney’s Office charged Coral Springs Police Officer Sandy Gomez with misdemeanor battery for “intentionally touching or striking” the handcuffed man by “kneeing” him “in the head.”
Cellphone video showed a shoplifting suspect on the ground surrounded by Coral Springs Police officers back in December 2018.
Gomez is then seen in the video kneeing the handcuffed suspect.
“Chief Parry said yesterday he was concerned about what he viewed,” Coral Springs Police Officer Chris Swinson said during an interview back in December.
Coral Springs Police said the suspect stole soda and candy from a nearby store and that he fought back when they tried to arrest him.
However, a witness told 7News he saw the handcuffed man cooperating at the time.
“Everything was good, and then another officer came, and he kicked him in the head, straight to his face,” the witness said.
This incident is not the first time Officer Gomez has been investigated for excessive force.
7News previously obtained video of Gomez from a different case involving a man with mental illness.
“Sit the [expletive] down. How many times do I have to tell you?” Gomez could be heard saying in the video.
A Coral Springs Police surveillance camera captured this incident back in April 2017.
Officer Gomez could be seen walking the suspect into the booking room but got angry and pushed the suspect down.
7News tracked down Christopher Lasky, the man being pushed in the video, back in April.
“Oh, I think it’s over-aggressive,” said Lasky during a previous interview.
When asked if he remembered being pushed down and what he was thinking at the time, Lasky said, “‘Here we go.'”
Gomez was cleared in the 2017 case.
As for the 2018 case, Gomez has been on paid administrative leave. However, the police department has changed it to unpaid leave in light of the new charge.
Because the charge is a misdemeanor, Gomez will not be arrested but will be required to make a court appearance.
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