Chief: Wichita cop on desk duty while fight with teens at roller rink is investigated

A Wichita Police officer has been assigned to desk duty, pending an investigating over a New Year’s Eve altercation in which the officer punched and pepper-sprayed a teenage boy, the city’s police chief said Sunday.

Part of the fight between the officer and teen was recorded on video by a bystander and has been widely shared on social media, sparking online complaints of potential use of excessive force.

The incident involved two officers, one male and one female. It occurred at 6:53 p.m. Saturday at the Roller City skating rink at 3234 S. Meridian, police spokesman Trevor Macy said.

Police Chief Joe Sullivan said the male officer has been reassigned to desk duties while the investigation is conducted. The female officer remains on regular job duties, Sullivan said.

The names of both officers are being withheld by the department.

The video, apparently taken by a bystander on a mobile phone, shows the male officer hitting, pushing and pepper-spraying a 16-year-old boy who allegedly tried to intervene in the officers’ efforts to subdue a 15-year-old girl.

Both officers were off-duty and working as private security for the skating rink management when the fracas broke out, Macy said.

Sullivan said the purpose of the investigation is to determine whether the officer used excessive force.

“Until the investigation is conducted, completed and I have all the facts, I’m not reaching any conclusion or making any judgments,” Sullivan said.

The incident started when the two officers were asked to escort a 15-year-old girl out of the rink, after the managers alleged she became upset and threatened staff, Macy said.

One officer asked the 15-year-old to gather her belongings and leave. The girl refused and continued yelling at staff and officers. At one point the girl attempted to strike an officer but missed, Macy said.

As an officer tried to take her into custody, a fight broke out and the 16-year-old boy became involved, Macy said. He said the boy reportedly struck one of the officers in the back of the head.

A video that has been circulating on Facebook shows a portion of the altercation.

The video starts with the male officer tackling the teenage boy while the female officer grapples with the teenage girl.

The male officer appears to punch the boy twice while they’re on the ground. They both get to their feet and the officer shoves the boy against a wall, and then flings him across the lobby.

As they square off, the officer draws a can of pepper spray and sprays it at the boy. The video clip ends abruptly at that point with the boy still on his feet and the girl subdued on the ground by the female officer.

Both teens were arrested and taken to the Sedgwick County Juvenile Intake Center.

The 15-year-old girl was booked on suspicion of one count of assault, battery of a law enforcement officer and ordinance violation for aggressive and harassing contact, Macy said.

The 16-year-old was booked on suspicion of one count of battery of a law enforcement officer and two counts of obstruction, Macy added.

WPD is asking anyone who witnessed the incident or has additional video they can provide to contact the investigations division at 316-268-4407 or email policeweb@wichita.gov.