Los Angeles, Ca
Los Angeles police officer brutally punches handcuffed man in face
An officer with the Los Angeles Police Department has been temporarily relieved field duties after video captured him punching a 30-year-old man, who appears to be handcuffed and not resisting, in face as he was being detained.
The July 28 incident occurred during what’s described as a traffic stop at East 113th Street near Graham Avenue in Watts.
Cellphone of the incident shows the man, identified by community activists as Alexander Donta Mitchell, yelling, “What did I do?” as he was being detained when one of the officers punches him hard on the right side of his face.
“This young man had his hands behind his back, handcuffed,” Civil Rights Activist Najee Ali told KTLA. “He was not a threat, but we saw an officer punch him in the face for no reason.”
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An officer with the Los Angeles Police Department is seen punching a man in handcuffs who does not appear to be resisting on July 28, 2024, in Watts. (Camarodoctor323) -
An officer with the Los Angeles Police Department is seen punching a man in handcuffs who does not appear to be resisting on July 28, 2024, in Watts. (Camarodoctor323) -
An officer with the Los Angeles Police Department is seen punching a man in handcuffs who does not appear to be resisting on July 28, 2024, in Watts. (Camarodoctor323) -
An officer with the Los Angeles Police Department is seen punching a man in handcuffs who does not appear to be resisting on July 28, 2024, in Watts. (Camarodoctor323)
Ali, with Project Islamic Hope, said the incident is just the latest example of excessive force by police in the Black community.
“That officer not only deserves to be on leave, he deserves to have his badge taken from him, handcuffs taken from him,” he added.
It’s unclear what happened prior to the recording of the punch or Mitchell’s hands were both fully restrained, though in the video, he does not appear to be resisting the officers at all.
A witness to the violence, who describes herself as a family friend of Mitchell’s and did not want to be identified on camera, said she’d never seen anything like that before.
“They just opened the door and snatched him out,” she explained. “There wasn’t no reason. He was just sitting in the car.”
Officials with the Los Angeles Police Department told KTLA that they’re looking into the matter, saying in a statement:
“The incident is under investigation and the officer involved has been removed from field duties.”
As for Ali, he says that nothing can justify the police officer’s actions.
“The video speaks for itself,” he said.
A press conference outside of LAPD headquarters with Mitchell’s family members and Civil Rights leaders is scheduled for Tuesday morning.
Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
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A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
Los Angeles, Ca
Boyle Heights warehouse cleanup begins as crews face 85 million pounds of spoiled food
Cleanup efforts are underway Thursday at the Boyle Heights cold-storage warehouse that burned for eight days after firefighters officially declared the massive blaze knocked down Wednesday evening. Los Angeles Fire Department crews remain at the Lineage warehouse near Union Pacific Avenue and South La Puente Street as they transition into the overhaul phase, searching for […]
A hospital needs help identifying a male patient who was found injured and unconscious in downtown Los Angeles.
The man is believed to be in his 30s, according to the Los Angeles General Medical Center.
He was found injured on the ground on Omar Street and has been hospitalized since June 22.
He stands 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 176 pounds. He has brown eyes, dark brown hair and tattoos across his upper body.
He did not have any personal belongings to help staff identify him or contact loved ones. Workers did not disclose the nature of his injuries.
Anyone who recognizes the man is asked to call clinical social worker Cesar Robles at 323-409-6885.
The public can also call the L.A. General Medical Center’s Department of Social Work at 323-409-5253 or, after hours from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., call 323-409-6883. On weekends, call 323-409-5254.
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