Some observers feel it's clearly police brutality. Detroit Police Chief James Craig says the use of force appears to be justified and the man confronted by an officer was aggressive.
Police released a detailed video after a more abbreviated cell phone video had circulated, showing a uniformed Detroit cop hitting customer David Bivins repeatedly with a baton on Sunday at Meijer on Woodward, just south of 8 Mile Road, WDIV reports.
Bivins was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting and obstruction after a cop accused him of shoplifting. Bivins broke a tooth during the confrontation.
His girlfriend, Hillary Ross, tells WDIV Koco McAboy the whole thing was unnecessary.
She said her and her boyfriend were shopping at Meijer, and when they left, loss protection employees approached them.
"We walked into the Meijer, went shopping like normal, purchased our items," Ross tells the station. "We did come in with outside bags from another store. We did emphasize to keep them separate. That way they could see."
Ross tells the station it was determined the items were not stolen. She then returned them and soon saw her boyfriend being struck, she says.
Here's the police video:
