Internal Investigation Underway After Officers Pepper Spray 9-Year-Old Girl

Three New York officers are facing suspension after they pepper-sprayed a 9-year-old girl. Last Wednesday, Rochester Police responded to a residence for a call about “family trouble.” The little girl was reportedly threatening to harm herself and her mother. When they attempted to get her into their patrol car to take her to a hospital, she resisted. Officers then resulted to more physical forms of restraint, holding her down, handcuffing her, and at one point pepper-spraying her as she screamed for her father. She was eventually taken to the hospital and later released. Body camera footage of the incident was released on Sunday and sparked outrage, especially from advocates of the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement. Hundreds of them gathered outside the station in the snow to protest. Governor Andrew Cuomo and Attorney General Letitia James also issued strong statements of condemnation against the officer’s use of force. So far, one of the officers involved has been suspended and the other two placed on administrative leave as an internal investigation is conducted.