Internet explodes after cop who pepper sprayed black Army lieutenant finally fired: 'He should be indicted'
Joe Gutierrez, the Windsor, Virginia police officer who pepper-sprayed a Black and Latino Army officer has been fired, but apparently only in response to growing nationwide outrage after video showing the "illegal traffic stop" and assault went viral. As CBS News reports, two officers held Army Second Lieutenant Caron Nazario "at gunpoint, handcuffed him and doused him with pepper spray."
Many Americans have been outraged by the incident, yet one more example of people of color being attacked by the nation's police officers who are supposed to "serve and protect." In this case the victim was not only innocent of any wrongdoing, he is a medic in the U.S. Armed Forces.
And they're questioning why it took more than four months – the incident took place December 5 – and only after video went viral, for the police department leadership to take appropriate action.
The president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Sherrilyn Ifill, summed up what many were saying:
A reminder that this grotesque incident happened in DECEMBER. An internal investigation then concluded Dept policie… https://t.co/KZglEvyVmz— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sherrilyn Ifill) 1618229058
The Town of Windsor released a statement on Sunday calling the incident "unfortunate."
"The pursuit and ultimate stop resulted in the use of pepper spray against Lt. Nazario by Officer Gutierrez," it also reads. It claims an internal investigation "began immediately," and "it was determined that Windsor Police Department policy was not followed."
"This resulted in disciplinary action, and department-wide requirements for additional training were implemented beginning in January and continue up to the present. Since that time, Officer Gutierrez was also terminated from his employment."
Good. If there was no video released, this seemingly would've been ignored. It happened FOUR months ago. The office… https://t.co/dZhIeHHcfM— VoteVets (@VoteVets) 1618239578
Important to point out that this officer was fired after the bodycam video became public because of the civil lawsu… https://t.co/42IXOmtdl0— kellymcb (@kellymcb) 1618222443
A cop got fired because of public backlash, not because the police department wanted to do the right thing - and th… https://t.co/HbN0aVCIyX— Salem Snow (@Salem Snow) 1618233876
@CBSNews He wasn’t fired because the people in charge saw the video. He was fired because the people in this country saw the video.— Irishrygirl (@Irishrygirl) 1618230113
Let’s make it clear, he was fired because there was a video that went viral. He got caught. They got caught. Imagin… https://t.co/AjOYETGYZC— Catalina Cruz, Esq. (@Catalina Cruz, Esq.) 1618234209
Officer Joe Gutierrez has been fired. Gutierrez was not fired after he brutally attacked Lieutenant Nazario on Dec… https://t.co/T4ubktCPbC— Voto Latino (@Voto Latino) 1618238209