NORTH LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Protesters came together to call for punitive action against the two Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies captured on cellphone video pepper-spraying and slamming a 15-year-old boy to the ground during an arrest in Tamarac.
Activists said the clip of the April 18 incident, which quickly went viral after it was posted on social media, speaks for itself.
Among those present at Saturday’s demonstration, held at Hampton Pines Park in North Lauderdale, was the mother of 15-year-old Delucca Rolle, the teen shown in the video.
“It could have been any one of y’all kids,” said Clintina Rolle.
Demonstrators dressed in red T-shirts chanted “No justice, no peace” and held signs that read “Justice for Lucca” and “Stop police violence.”
Participants said they won’t be satisfied until the deputies involved in the tough takedown, BSO Deputy Christopher Krickovich and BSO Sgt. Greg LaCerra, are fired and criminally charged.
“Do the right thing. Put those that done wrong behind bars,” said the teen’s mother.
The video shows blasting Delucca with pepper spray before throwing him to the pavement outside a McDonald’s near J.P. Taravella High School, where the teen is a student.
Krickovich is then seen punching Delucca and bashing his face into the concrete. fracturing the teen’s nose.
“To see my son try to suppress this every day, he don’t even want to hear about it,” said Clintina. “He try to lock away in a room by himself.”
Students at the scene said Delucca got caught in the chaos while trying to pick up a cellphone.
After he was apprehended, the teen faced charges of resisting arrest, assaulting an officer and trespassing. However, following the release of the viral video, prosecutors dropped all charges against him.
Demonstrators accused Krickovich and LaCerra of police brutality.
“A clear message has to be given to law enforcement, and that is zero tolerance of abuse and brutality,” said Broward County Mayor Mark Bogen.
The incident is one of a few in South Florida in recent months appearing to show aggressive arrests by local law enforcement.
Earlier this week, a Miami Gardens Police officer was seen shoving a 16-year-old girl against a fence before slamming her to the ground.
Her grandmother said the teen was left traumatized.
“Wow! You know? Is this for real,” she said. “That was excessive force, and ‘Bam!’ Three-hundred pounds more than she is I’m sure ’cause he’s a big guy. He’s three times bigger than she is! That was most disturbing that you would do that even to a child. She didn’t resist. She wasn’t even the fighter. She was just observing.”
Newly released body camera footage captured a different BSO deputy punching a suspect handcuffed to a hospital bed on Jan. 1.
Back in Tamarac, community leaders were critical of law enforcers who they say go too far.
“Regardless of color, it could be any one of our children who could have been on that ground,” said Clintina
Delucca’s video has drawn outrage from coast to coast. Colorado resident Justin Vick was arrested Thursday for allegedly threatening to kill Krickovich.
Meanwhile, local protesters’ said all they want is accountability.
“Listen, listen to us,” said a demonstrator.
The NAACP echoed protesters’ calls for Krickovich and LaCerra’s termination and arrest.
Demonstrators said they have more protests planned throughout the coming week.
BSO is conducting an internal affairs investigation into the deputies who took Rolle into custody. The State Attorney’s Office is also looking into the matter.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.