Two Iowa Department of Natural Resources conservation officers have been placed on paid leave after they intervened in a street fight between two woman in downtown Des Moines. A video of the incident shows one of the officers twice elbowing one of the women, who is black, in the face while the other woman, who is white, was restrained without any physical violence.
As the Des Moines Register points out, witnesses to the fight viewed the officers' actions as racist.
The black woman, 27-year-old Latisha Johnson, was charged with disorderly conduct, consumption and intoxication and interference with official acts.
According to court records, the officer who arrested Johnson was officer Travis Graves, who pepper-sprayed Johnson when she refused to let go of the other woman's hair. There is no mention of Graves throwing an elbow at Johnson in the criminal complaint. The other woman, identified as Kathryn Kesler, was charged with disorderly conduct and public intoxication. Both woman have been released.
Watch video of the incident below, via the Atlanta Black Star:
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