Cop punches black store owner who called 911 after robbery, Alabama video shows

A white police officer punched and broke the jaw of a black business owner who called 911 after his Alabama store was robbed, surveillance video shows.

The incident happened March 15, but the video from the store’s security camera circulated on social media over the weekend, Newsweek reported.

The video shows a police officer punching Kevin Penn, 47, the owner of Star Spirits & Beverages in Decatur, AL.com reported.

Penn said he had called to report the robbery and told police he was “holding the robbery suspect at gunpoint,” according to the news outlet.

On Monday, Decatur Police Chief Nate Allen said the officer mistook Penn, who was holding a gun, for the robbery suspect. Police showed body-worn camera footage from the incident, saying Penn refused to put down his gun when instructed by the officers, according to AL.com

Penn was ultimately charged with obstructing governmental operations.

In the video, two police officers enter the store and one immediately punches Penn in the face and puts him in a headlock. Two other officers restrain and tackle him to the floor.

Carl Cole, Penn’s attorney, said his client put the gun down on the counter, according to WHNT.

“In early April, we turned over security cam footage to the DPD. They have had it for over 2 months. Today is the first we have seen of any body cam footage and the first we have have heard of the status of the officer that broke Mr. Penn’s jaw. I doubt we would be having this conversation today, but for the outcry on social media,” Cole told the outlet.

When asked if the officers had used excessive force, Allen said they should use the “least amount of force necessary to get the job done,” AL.com reported.

Cole said Penn lost several teeth in the incident.

The police officer has been placed on desk duty pending an investigation, AL.com reported.

This story was originally published June 9, 2020 at 1:02 PM with the headline "Cop punches black store owner who called 911 after robbery, Alabama video shows."