Campus police body slam student

Witness describes use of violence by PD as ‘unjustified’

Southwestern College police detained then wrestled to the ground a male African-American student police said was illegally parked in a handicap spot near Devore Stadium. At least two passersby recorded video of the encounter, which was posted on social media.

Some faculty and students expressed concern that the violent encounter was racially motivated.

David Vereen was blocked into the handicapped parking space by an SCPD cruiser shortly after he had pulled in. Cell phone video showed Vereen refused to cooperate with police officers and shouted a stream of profanities at them. Police escalated the situation when Vereen refused to step out of his vehicle. Vereen was apprehended by officers, handcuffed and wrestled to the ground. He was cited and released according to SCPD. Police officers said Vereen was misusing a handicap placard that did not belong to him.

College President Dr. Kindred Murillo said she retained Nicole Miller to investigate the episode. Murillo said she expects the investigation to take two months.

Nursing student Lizette Moran caught the encounter on her cell phone camera.  Her video showed the royal blue SUV Vereen was driving, parked in a disabled parking space, with a disabled placard displayed. A squad car blocked in the SUV. Following an angry exchange, three officers took Vereen to the pavement.

“When I saw them pull him out of the car, I got kind of scared,” she said. “As I’m recording, my hand is shaking a little bit and I’m scared. Like they’re going to get mad at me because I’m recording. After all that I see (Vereen) getting thrown to the ground.”

Moran said the level of escalation was unnecessary and that she thought of her brothers who are about Vereen’s age.

“The amount of force was not justified,” she said. “That was scary to see, scary to witness.”

Moran said the attitude of police officers was not warranted and wondered if there was racial motivation. She said officers were overly aggressive and disrespectful.

“We’re humans,” she said. “We’re not in jail already. We’re not in prison already. We’re not murderers. We’re here going to school trying to better our lives. You just have to know how to approach someone, even if you are an officer.”

Police advanced upon Vereen too angrily, said Moran.

“The way they came about it was so intimidating and so forceful,” she said. “It’s like someone on campus has gun,” she said. “Why? Because he was Black? Because he was misusing a handicapped placard? It was ridiculous to witness. It was scary.”

Moran said the episode caused her to lose faith in the campus police and would not contact them unless absolutely necessary. She said the only time she feels safe at SC is when she is in class.

Diante Clark, president of the Black Student Union, said he does not feel safe on campus.

“If anything, I feel a lot less safe,” he said. “To see officers approach the student (aggressively) made me feel like that could be me. Just knowing it could be any one of my friends given the recent events.”

In response to the episode, ASO leadership and college had a listening session where students could voice concerns and ask questions. A lineup of students shared their emotional experiences and how the color of their skin made them feel targeted.  Many of the questions asked by the students were not answered by SCPD Chief Davis Nighswonger or Murillo because it would impede the ongoing investigation, Murillo said. She promised a thorough examination of the confrontation.

“Nothing has gone under the rug since I got here,” she told students. “It will be a fair and just investigation.”

Governing Board Vice President Nora Vargas said she contacted the ACLU to help the college create a police review board.

SC PIO Lillian Leopold said there was an attempt to establish an advisory board two years ago, but it fizzled.

“The very first meeting was very well attended, but then after that it was hard to get on people’s calendars, there seemed to be a lack of interest,” she said.

SC’s Black Student Union held a workshop with attorney Jasmine Braswell, to discuss students’ rights.

Moran said she hopes the college’s investigation will be transparent, but has little faith it will be.

“No matter what happens, I don’t think what (the police) did was ok,” she said. “I don’t think it was justified.”

Clark agreed.

“I have very little hope in the outcome of this investigation,” he said.

Moran said she thinks Vereen will be blamed.

“He resisted,” she said. “That’s it. I think that’ll be the end of it.”