Citizen Who Reported Assault Subdued After Dispute With Police... Four Weeks of Injuries

Witness Reports Violent Incident, Gets Into Dispute With Police
Suffers Broken Ribs and Other Injuries During Arrest
Police to Investigate "Improper Arrest" Allegations

A man in his 30s who witnessed a violent incident and reported it to the police was arrested after getting into a dispute with responding officers. During the arrest, he suffered injuries including broken ribs, sparking controversy over excessive police response.

The scene that sparked controversy over excessive force. Photo by Yonhap News, provided by a reader

On October 1, Yonhap News reported that a man in his 30s, identified as Mr. A, witnessed an assault on the street in Ulsan and called the police. During a dispute with the officers at the scene, he was arrested and sustained injuries including fractures to five ribs and a torn lip, requiring four weeks of medical treatment.

The incident occurred at around 2:53 a.m. on September 27 on a road in Nam-gu, Ulsan. Mr. A saw a woman assaulting another man and reported it to the police.

Sergeant B and Lieutenant C from the local police precinct responded, but appeared to take no significant action at the scene. Mr. A criticized them, saying, "What will you do if something serious happens? Shouldn't you act quickly?"

In response, Sergeant B told Mr. A not to interfere. Mr. A retorted, "How can you not respond after witnessing an assault?" leading to a heated argument.

Face injured during the arrest process. Photo by Yonhap News, provided by a reader

Another citizen tried to intervene, and Mr. A went into a nearby house, temporarily calming the situation. However, when Mr. A came back outside to smoke, he made eye contact with the officers in the patrol car, reigniting tensions. Sergeant B got out of the patrol car and approached Mr. A, and the two exchanged words at close range. A friend of Mr. A tried to intervene and stop the argument, but the confrontation continued.

Eventually, when Mr. A used harsh language, Sergeant B pushed past the friend and got face-to-face with Mr. A, pressing their foreheads together. At that moment, Lieutenant C grabbed Mr. A from behind by the neck and threw him to the ground. Sergeant B then pinned Mr. A down, grabbing the back of his neck and wrists, pulling him down to the ground three times to force him to lie face down. He then subdued Mr. A by pressing his knee on his head and neck, handcuffed him, and took him into custody. This scene was captured in its entirety by a nearby CCTV camera.

Mr. A stated, "I called the police twice, but the officers did not respond actively to the dating violence incident, so I pointed it out. My whole body was being pressed down, but I stayed still because I was afraid resisting would cause more trouble." He also claimed, "During the arrest, my mouth was injured and filled with blood and saliva, but I was not allowed to spit, and I was not promptly informed of my Miranda rights."

Mr. A was diagnosed with fractures to five ribs and abrasions to his face and lips, requiring two to four weeks of treatment.

The police explained that Mr. A was arrested on the spot for insulting the officers and that force was used because he appeared to be attempting to assault them. They also stated that after being taken into custody, Mr. A spat on the plastic window inside the patrol car, leading to an additional charge of obstruction of official duties. However, the police added, "Since injuries occurred during the arrest, we will thoroughly investigate whether there was excessive force."

Mr. A has filed a complaint with the prosecution against the two officers, accusing them of abuse of power resulting in injury, arguing that the forceful restraint in the absence of any threat or resistance constituted an abuse of police authority.

The local police precinct in Nam-gu, Ulsan reportedly contacted Mr. A after reviewing the CCTV footage, expressing a desire to arrange a meeting to apologize.