Brutal Video Shows Aftermath of Forceful Arrest. Family Members Want to Know What Happened First.

A bystander’s video of a brutal arrest has reached the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office prompting an internal investigation. The bloodied and nearly unrecognizable face of the Black detainee has called into question what happened moments before the recording started.

Le’Keian Woods, 24, was pulled over this weekend for what his family said was a seat belt violation, per First Coast News. The video shows four JSO patrol cars surrounding Woods as he lies on the ground handcuffed behind his back. Three or four officers are seen on top of him and one suddenly picks him up by his shirt and slams his head violently into the ground. When Woods is propped up against the officer’s legs, his face is revealed showing both of his eyes swollen shut and his mouth full of blood as he tried to speak.

At one point, one officer tried to pick him up, but Woods could barely stand on his own two feet and fell back on the ground.

Woods’ family said he had to be treated for lacerations and bruises. Attorney Harry Daniels told The AP that Woods also had to be treated for a concussion and was lucky to make it out of the ordeal alive.

“If this video of the officers repeatedly assaulting Le’Keian, slamming his head in the ground and tossing him around like a ragdoll while he’s handcuffed and defenseless isn’t enough to convince you that these officers need to be off the street, just look at Le’Keian’s face. He looks like he just went 12 rounds with a professional boxer,” said Daniels.

After being released from the hospital, he was transferred to Duval County Jail, the report says. He’s currently being held on charges of armed drug trafficking, possession of a controlled substance, resisting an officer with violence and violating probation. His family claims there were no active warrants for his arrest but confirmed to First Coast News he was on probation.

Now, the JSO is launching an internal review into the claims that their employees used Woods as a punching bag. As anticipated, the probe includes the public release of body camera footage, according to Sheriff T.K. Waters.

Read their statement from First Coast News:

“Yesterday, JSO officers were involved in an incident near Toledo Road and Powers Avenue in which force was used taking a subject into custody. The agency takes all allegations of inappropriate use of force by JSO officers seriously. As such, this incident is now under administrative review to determine if the involved officers violated any JSO policy. Because the matter is currently under investigation, the agency cannot comment further about the incident until the investigation is completed.”