Authorities say a Tennessee police officer was fired last night after images of him allegedly choking a college student to the point of losing consciousness surfaced.
Over 800 students reportedly attended a house party near the University of Tennessee in Knoxville on Saturday night. Upwards of 60 law enforcement officers responded, and Knox County Officer Frank Phillips was photographed choking 21-year-old student Jarod Dotson in front of the party.
John Messner, who took the photographs and sent them to the Daily Mail, said Dotson was already being handcuffed when Phillips choked him until he lost consciousness. This GIF, created by the Washington Post, appears to confirm that.
Though both Phillips and the Knox County Sheriff's Office said Dotson resisted arrest, Messner and other Witnessed told the Post this was not true.
Dotson was charged with resisting arrest and public intoxication. After determining that excessive force had been used and would not be tolerated, Sheriff Jimmy "J.J." Jones said in a statement that the investigation will be forwarded to the Knox County Attorney General's Office "to determine [if] any further action" is necessary.
[via Washington Post and Daily Mail]
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