Prince George’s County officer suspended for allegedly recording cuffed Delonte West, officials say
Delonte West of the Cleveland Cavaliers (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
OXON HILL, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - Prince George’s County police are conducting an internal investigation after an officer allegedly recorded a cuffed Delonte West cursing on a curb after a fight in the middle of Oxon Hill Road.
The officer has since been suspended, according to PGPD Chief Hank Stawinski.
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Police say the investigation began when officers responded to a report of a fight in Oxon Hill around 9:45 a.m.
When they arrived, they found both men separated and no longer fighting.
One man was bleeding, and an officer cuffed the other man.
A witness told police that she saw the second man – the one in cuffs – strike the first man with a glass bottle. The second man retaliated, striking him several times.
Part of the fight in the street had been caught on camera.
Both men declined to press charges against the other. Police say they also refused to cooperate with the investigation.
Around 12:15 p.m., police learned that an officer recorded the video of West on a personal cellphone.
WARNING: The language in this video is extremely graphic and explicit
Delonte West is a graduate of Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt. He was a star at St. Joseph’s.
After college, he enjoyed a substantial NBA career, playing for the Boston Celtics, the Seattle SuperSonics, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Dallas Mavericks. He also played overseas.