Skip to main content

Amazon exec slams 'shocking' arrest of Black delivery driver who was pinned to the ground during a traffic stop

* Amazon is investigating the arrest of one of its delivery drivers on Tuesday in Warren, Michigan. * A top Amazon executive on Tuesday shared a news report with a video appearing to show a white police officer restraining a Black driver who was facedown on the ground. * "We see what others see in this video, and it's unacceptable," an Amazon representative told Business Insider. "We expect a swift investigation and full accountability for those involved. Amazon will deploy all necessary resources to investigate the matter with our Delivery Service Provider, as well as to represent and support the driver." * A police officer initiated a traffic stop at 2 p.m. and advised the driver against parking on the wrong side of the road, Warren Police Commissioner William Dwyer told Business Insider in a phone interview on Wednesday. * The police later charged the driver with resisting and obstructing a police officer, failure to obey a lawful command, and failure to produce a driver's license. * "I hope they find justice for that boy. Those cops were unnecessary," Leah Debene, who witnessed part of the arrest, told Business Insider. * Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Amazon is investigating the arrest on Tuesday of a Black delivery driver in Warren, Michigan, who the police said parked on the wrong side of the street and resisted an officer. On Tuesday evening, Dave Clark, Amazon's head of worldwide operations, tweeted a link to a story about the arrest and called it "shocking, unacceptable, and inexcusable." The story, by Fox 2 Detroit, had a witness' video that appeared to show a white officer kneeling beside the Amazon driver, who was facedown on the ground, and restraining him. "We are digging in to support the driver and to ensure there is a proper outcome to this investigation," Clark tweeted. The 23-year-old driver, who has not been named, was delivering Amazon packages on Engleman Road before the arrest, the police and witnesses said. A police officer initiated a traffic stop at 2 p.m. and told the driver that he couldn't park on the wrong side of the road, Warren Police Commissioner William Dwyer told Business Insider in a phone interview on Wednesday. He said he planned to release footage taken from an officer's motorcycle camera. "The officer approached the driver and made 11 requests for his driver's license," Dwyer said, adding that the driver failed to produce his license and argued with the officer. "The officer then attempted to place the driver under arrest and a minor struggle ensued," he said. "The driver was taken to the ground, wrist-locked, handcuffed, arrested, and transported to the police station." The police charged the driver with resisting and obstructing a police officer, failure to obey a lawful command, and failure to produce a driver's license. They also issued a citation for illegal parking. Amazon told Business Insider that it planned to investigate the arrest. "We see what others see in this video, and it's unacceptable," an Amazon representative said on Wednesday. "We expect a swift investigation and full accountability for those involved. Amazon will deploy all necessary resources to investigate the matter with our Delivery Service Provider, as well as to represent and support the driver." Witnesses said the arrest appeared "unnecessary" and "aggressive." "I hope they find justice for that boy. Those cops were unnecessary," Leah Debene, who witnessed part of the arrest when she was dropping her child off at a family member's home, told Business Insider. "He was aggressive taking him down to the ground. It was so ridiculous over a traffic offense," Jim Michaels, who ordered the package that the driver was delivering, told WXYZ-TV. Read the police commissioner's full statement on the incident: "On June 9, 2020 at 2:00 p.m., the officer initiated a traffic stop on a 23-year-old African American male Amazon delivery driver. The traffic stop was for parking with left wheel to curb and occurred on the 11000 block of Engleman. The officer advised the driver he could not park on the wrong side of the road. The driver began arguing with the officer and walked away. The officer approached the driver and made eleven (11) requests for his driver's license. The driver failed to produce a driver's license and continued arguing. The officer then attempted to place the driver under arrest and a minor struggle ensued. The driver was taken to the ground, wrist-locked, handcuffed, arrested, and transported to the police station. The driver was charged with resisting and obstructing a police officer, failure to obey a lawful command, and failure to produce a driver's license. He was also issued a citation for illegal parking with left wheel to curb. He was later released on personal bond. Neither the subject nor the officer were injured nor requested any medical attention. This matter was turned over to the Internal Affairs Division and is currently being investigated. Upon completion of the Internal Affairs investigation, we will take the proper action, anywhere from termination to exoneration. I have video and audio from the officer's motorcycle camera. I will show the video and following the video, I will answer any questions." Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Why thoroughbred horse semen is the world's most expensive liquid
https://bit.ly/30vW15k

Popular posts from this blog

A full breakdown of what channels you get with every Sling TV package, plus all the add-ons

  * Sling is one of the most affordable cord-cutting services on the market, offering two packages —  Orange and Blue — with 30+ channels starting at $30 a month or combined for $45 a month. * Orange offers the Disney Channel and ESPN, while Blue offers a slate of Fox channels, NBC, Bravo, and Discovery. Both Orange and Blue offer CNN, TBS, Food Network, and BBC America. * You can also add on multi-channel packages, like Sports Extras, Kids Extras, or News Extras, starting at $5 a month. Premium add-ons, like Showtime, Starz, and Epix, are also available for an additional monthly charge.  * If you're new to Sling TV, you can receive a free 14-day trial for a limited time. * Here's a complete breakdown of the channels offered on each Sling package.    If you're hoping to get the most bang for your buck once you cut the cord with your cable subscription, Sling is one of the most affordable live streaming services on the market.  The service has two packages with ...

Here's an exclusive look at the pitch deck London fintech Lanistar used to raise $19 million at a $190 million valuation

* London-based fintech startup Lanistar has raised a £15 million ($19 million) funding round from Milaya Capital.  * Founded in 2019, Lanistar is building a personal financial management platform that will launch later in 2020.  * "We're expecting a huge amount of growth upon our launch and have already seen strong interest among our sign ups," Gurhan Kiziloz, founder and CEO of Lanistar, told Business Insider. * Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.  The coronavirus lockdown in the UK has brought the importance of managing money into sharp relief. A recent study from Money.com shows that 71% of UK households have saved cash during lockdown, and, with uncertainty about jobs and the economy looming, money management is now front of mind for many. Lanistar, a banking platform with a focus on personal finance, is one company offering tools for consumers to better manage their money. It has just raised a £15 million ($19 million) funding round from Mil...

Why an early exec quit unicorn food delivery startup Deliveroo to launch a food business in the middle of a pandemic

* A former Deliveroo exec has launched a market food hall startup in the middle of COVID-19. * Dan Warne was managing director of the unicorn startup until 2019, but has now launched Sessions Market as a community food hall concept to rejuvenate UK towns after the pandemic. * Warne says he hopes to bring his experience from Deliveroo, particularly about customer behavior, to the analogue world of food halls. * The first venue, Shelter Hall on Brighton seafront, launches July 4. * Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. On Saturday, the UK's bars, restaurants, and cinemas will fling their doors open to customers for the first time since a strict lockdown commenced in late March. Given continued public health concerns around the coronavirus pandemic, it might be unwise to open a new food business right now. But Dan Warne, a former high-level executive at British unicorn startup Deliveroo, has launched Sessions Market, a series of community-orientated food hal...