At around 6:30 p.m. on Friday September 22, 2023, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call about a fight at Victor Valley High School in Victorville, California. A football game had just ended. While attempting to break up the fight, a deputy allegedly slammed a teen girl to the ground, which was caught on video. The 16-year-old girl was taken to the hospital for her injuries. A 16-year-old boy was arrested after allegedly punching an officer in the face.
On Sunday, September 24, the Victorville community held a protest outside of the police station over the incident. The protest was not entirely peaceful, as deputies and community members clashed, shoving one another.
The sheriff's department claims that the video only tells part of the story. The responding deputies say they attempted to break up the fight using pepper balls. They claim the teen girl tried to grab the officer’s launcher.
"As additional deputies arrived, another pepper ball round was deployed toward the subjects and a 16-year-old female grabbed the pepper ball launcher," the department’s official statement on the incident explained. "A deputy pulled the female away causing her to land on the ground."
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Parents of the injured teenage girl and arrested teenage boy believe the police used excessive force in this situation. The boy was booked into the High Desert Juvenile Hall. The district attorney will review the case and determine whether the charges are warranted.
The protest on Sunday proved tensions are high in the Victorville community over the incident. The sheriff's department issued the following statement about the protest: "While the Sheriff's Department supports the public's right to peaceful protests, violating California penal codes and vehicle codes are not protected by the first amendment. Our deputies will be enforcing the law and arrests will be made if applicable. As of now, no arrests have been made related to the protest."
