LAPD's Aggressive Swarm Of House Party Caught On Video; Internal Investigation Underway

YouTube

The Los Angeles Police Department has initiated another internal investigation into the actions officers based in part on video posted on YouTube. In the latest case, a birthday party Saturday night in Pacoima in which police received numerous noise complaints was broken up Sunday morning by more than a dozen officers.

The person who posted the video (see it after the jump) claims that police engaged in "brutality," beat and injured a man who was celebrating his birthday, caused injuries to another party-goer, and pulled children out of their own bedrooms during the action. Police late Thursday cast the incident in a wholly different light:

... People from the party began throwing rocks, bottles, cans and other items at the officers. A help call was broadcast by an LAPD Air Support Unit overhead. One officer was hit in the head by a heavy object and had to be taken to a local hospital where he was treated for a concussion and admitted.

One officer was treated at a hospital for a concussion after he was hit in the head with a heavy object.

The LAPD statement described the crowd at the home near Cayuga Avenue and Pierce Street in Pacoima as "disorderly." Nine people were arrested based on allegations that included assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and resisting, delaying, or obstructing an officer.

In the video police are seen forming a skirmish line in the house's backyard as a police helicopter's "day sun" illuminates the scene. Officers appear to be aggressively pushing people out, and party-goers can be heard saying let's go.

One cop (pictured) swings his baton. And he is part of a group of two or three offers who appear to take down the videographer.

The video, however, doesn't show what led up to the heavy show of force, including alleged rock-and-bottle throwing.

In May a clash between police and bicyclists was caught on video, leading to another internal LAPD investigation. Other YouTube video clashes between the LAPD and citizens show a drunk man getting "tased" and a videographer being called a "fruitcake."