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Police Brutality Alleged In Wilkes-Barre

Police Brutality Alleged In Wilkes-Barre - Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 11:19PM EST

Reported by: Joe Holden
Tuesday, Aug 25, 2009 @ 11:19pm EST

WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- As many as a dozen witnesses say they're coming forward to report what they describe a violent beating at the hands of city police on Tuesday morning. Luis Cruz, 23, was hospitalized following the alleged altercation in the 200 block of Stanton Street.

Witnesses claim Cruz was running from police for an unknown reason. Neighbor Chrissy Krepps tells WBRE Eyewitness News she yelled at Cruz to get down and put his hands up. Krepps said Cruz again started running at which time he was subdued by as many as six officers. A woman who was driving by at the time and did not want to be identified claims she saw "nightsticks, mace, hitting, kicking and banging a head off a car." She said "that's excessive force to me."

Luzerne County District Attorney Jackie Musto Carroll confirmed state police were investigating the matter. She said the investigation would be "thorough."

Repeat messages left with a spokeswoman for Wilkes-Barre administrators were not returned. A shift commander on duty Tuesday evening said he was unable to comment on an incident that happened earlier in the day.

Cruz spent more than 10 hours in the emergency room at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. Family said he was sedated at times. They described bruises over large parts of his body, a gash to his leg and a large cut over his eye.

Witnesses said police had responded to the scene for reports of a man with a gun. Luzerne County 911 supervisors Tuesday night were unable to verify if a call was made regarding such a complaint.

Cruz's mother said he suffers from bi-polar disorder, but she disputes he was involved in a violent act that triggered a police response such as the one that's being alleged.

Absent comment from city officials, there's no information on the status of police officers under state police review who were allegedly involved in the altercation.
 


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