Harrowing body camera footage captured the moment an Oklahoma father was beaten by police officers as his autistic son stood nearby and screamed.
John Sexton was on his usual 6am walk with his 6-year-old son, also named John, when they were stopped by two officers in Watonga earlier this month.
The two officers, who were wearing body cameras, captured the tense moments between the officers and Sexton, who told the officers they were “just walking.”
One of the officers can be heard telling the elder Sexton: “I found that a little suspicious, you know?”
A visibly confused Sexton replies: “What? Walking around there is a little suspicious?”
John Sexton had been on his usual morning walk with his 6-year-old son, also named John, when they were stopped by two officers in Watonga.
The officer can be heard telling him, “I’m going to take you to jail for not identifying yourself,” before the officer slams Sexton to the ground and detains him.
The officer replied, “Technically, not really. But I mean it’s pretty early in the morning.”
According to Sexton, the morning walk is something he and his young son do regularly.
Despite his protests, one of the officers can be heard firmly telling the father: “No, you’re not. Give me your ID.”
Sexton then opens the pockets of the shorts he is wearing and tells them, “I don’t have my ID with me because it’s in the house.”
The officer can be heard telling him: “I’m going to take you to jail for not identifying yourself,” before throwing Sexton to the ground and detaining him.
His young son can be heard crying in the background as the violent scene unfolds in front of him.
The footage continues inside the patrol car, where Sexton is told: “Shut up and listen for a minute. We had suspicions small enough to identify you.”
His young son can be heard crying in the background as the violent scene unfolds in front of him.
According to Sexton, her young son has never been the same since the incident in early July.
When he asks why he was arrested, he is told: “We don’t know what he was doing. We can say it’s criminal activity,” before he is eventually released.
Talking with COCONUTSexton told the outlet he is now seeking to file charges against the officers.
According to Sexton, her young son has never been the same since, saying, “He’s been a police officer on Halloween for the last two years.”
“That’s what he wanted to be when he grew up. That’s what he says, and now he’s afraid of them.”
‘I mean, it’s horrible to see my son acting, you know, crying like that and seeing my rights violated like that.’
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is now investigating whether this was justified.
Watonga police said they would not comment on the incident.
