Seattle chief says probe into case of police kicking man will include other officers at scene

Seattle chief discusses police kicking case

SEATTLE — Seattle Interim Police Chief John Diaz has apologized to a Latino man who is seen in a video being kicked and stomped by two officers.

Diaz told reporters Friday that an internal investigation is being broadened to include other officers present at the scene April 17.

The chief says he learned about the incident April 24 from a police commander and an investigation was quickly launched. He acknowledged that two officers were not put on administrative reassignment until late last week, when a freelancer’s video of the incident surfaced.

The video shows an officer using a racial slur and kicking the prone man’s head and hand. It also shows another officer stomping on the man’s leg.

Authorities say he was taken down as a robbery suspect but released when officers realized they had the wrong man.