A female police officer was seriously injured after being bitten during an anti-migrant disorder. The incident occurred during a homeless encampment cleanup in Antioch, California, where a woman bit an officer who then punched her.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions between law enforcement and homeless populations, particularly during encampment cleanups, and raises questions about the appropriate use of force and self-defense.
A female police officer was seriously injured after being bitten during an anti-migrant disorder in Antioch, California. The incident, which occurred during a homeless encampment cleanup, led to an officer being placed on paid administrative leave after punching the woman who bit him.
Newly released video footage shows the officer and another attempting to restrain 41-year-old Ja’Marlette Hardy. At one point, Hardy appears to bite the officer on the shoulder. The officer then recoils and punches Hardy, knocking her hat off. Witnesses heard the officer exclaim, "She bit me!"
Hardy told CBS News that she did bite the officer, but stated it was an act of self-defense because she believed excessive force was being used against her and that the officer was trying to break her wrist. She explained that as the officer applied weight to her arm, she felt her shoulder pop, prompting her to bite him.
Police, however, presented a different account, stating that Hardy refused to stay back from cleanup crews, confronted city workers, and interfered with officers performing their duties. They attempted to arrest her after she repeatedly refused orders to comply.
Antioch Police Chief Joe Vigil confirmed that the officer involved has been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure during an internal investigation. Vigil emphasized that the department takes all uses of force seriously. Some residents of the encampment expressed disbelief at the officer's reaction, questioning why he resorted to punching Hardy when she had only bitten him lightly.
Hardy reported experiencing lingering symptoms from the punch, including migraines, sleep disturbances, and hallucinations.