An off-duty California Highway Patrol officer was beaten and choked unconscious by a group of teens at an outdoor mall Friday after the officer tried to help a female assault victim, police in Emeryville said.
What happened?
Police said about 8 p.m. a female approached a group of teens at the Bay Street Mall she believed knew who stole her cellphone earlier. Surveillance video shows the female appearing to grab and confront one member of the group who was wearing a white hoodie and red baseball cap — and he in turn pushed the female at least twice.
That's when the off-duty cop stepped in. At first video shows him trying to move the female away from group of teens — then he appears to take cellphone photos of them, after which the teen in the white hoodie and red cap went after the off-duty cop and started taking swings at him. The cop was dressed in a blue jacket, black pants, and white shoes.
Other members of the teen's posse soon joined in. Video shows two security guards standing by when the attack commenced — and one of them actually retreated momentarily when the first punch was thrown.
Video shows the officer trying to escape the gang of teens but to no avail. They eventually grab him, surround him, and take him to the ground as security guards, again, appear unable to keep the attackers at bay, as the teens are seen assaulting the officer while he's still on the ground.
Police said the teens hit the officer multiple times and choked him unconscious. When he came to, the officer pepper sprayed a juvenile who was actively continuing the attack, police said.
Two teens — 14 and 16 — were positively identified and arrested for assault, police said.
The officer speaks
The officer in question — who wanted to be identified only as Greg B. — told KTVU in an on-camera interview that the incident was "a melee. It was chaotic. It was a really scary situation. It should have never gotten to this point."
The off-duty cop — a former correctional officer at San Quentin Prison — added to the station that he never drew his gun and that his girlfriend told mall security he's a law enforcement officer.
"There was a lot of restraint that had to be practiced," he told KTVU. "And I had to do my best to stay in the moment."
The officer suffered a concussion, a broken finger, and bruises, the station said, adding that it was the third time he's had to step in and help someone at the mall.
"I think this just came down to me not being able to look away and let this happen," he told KTVU. "I saw this young lady, and she was going to be in a very bad situation."
The station added that police are still looking for eight other teens involved in the attack.
Here's video of the beating released by the police department:
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