"Abuse of power": California cop punches woman on suspicion of burglary, netizens debate over who was in the wrong

A video has been going viral on social media where a cop from California can be seen punching an alleged female shoplifter. Allegedly, the woman stole $2,000 worth of goods from the mall, and just then the California cop opened the car in which she was sitting, and started punching her.

The 50-second video also showed the cop grabbing the woman’s hair and throwing her to the ground.

In the video, the woman is seen resisting as the California cop continuously punches her. He ultimately puts handcuffs on her and arrests her as other officers also arrive.

As per the New York Post, the video is from outside the Gateway Plaza shopping mall, and the incident took place on Friday, October 13, 2023.

As soon as the video made its way on social media, netizens started reacting and got into a debate of whether the cop should have hit the woman. One social media user called it an “abuse of power.”

Social media users debate as a video of a cop hitting a woman goes viral: Reactions explored. (Image via Instagram)

The California police later reported that the officers tried to stop the woman who was in her car, but she did not stop, which is why the police had to take the step. As per the authorities, the woman was with her two kids, who were left unharmed, while the woman and the police officer suffered a few injuries due to the punches.

As per Kron4, the woman has a history of stealing and getting arrested. She was allegedly arrested previously on October 4, 2023, for stealing goods worth $30,000, and had also stolen $1,000 worth of goods from the same business in California in September 2023.

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Heated debate sparks on social media as video of a California police officer punching alleged shoplifter goes viral

The video of the California cop punching the woman has spread on social media like wildfire, as it has been posted by many users and has also received millions of views on different platforms.

As an Instagram account, @theneighborhoodtalk uploaded the video on the platform, netizens jumped into a debate wherein many sided with the cop, while others were of the belief that the woman should not have been hit.

Social media users debate as a video of a cop hitting a woman goes viral: Reactions explored. (Image via Instagram)

Social media users debate as a video of a cop hitting a woman goes viral: Reactions explored. (Image via Instagram)

Social media users debate as a video of a cop hitting a woman goes viral: Reactions explored. (Image via Instagram)

Social media users debate as a video of a cop hitting a woman goes viral: Reactions explored. (Image via Instagram)

Social media users debate as a video of a cop hitting a woman goes viral: Reactions explored. (Image via Instagram)

Social media users debate as a video of a cop hitting a woman goes viral: Reactions explored. (Image via Instagram)

Social media users debate as a video of a cop hitting a woman goes viral: Reactions explored. (Image via Instagram)

Social media users debate as a video of a cop hitting a woman goes viral: Reactions explored. (Image via Instagram) Social media users debate as a video of a cop hitting a woman goes viral: Reactions explored. (Image via Instagram) Social media users debate as a video of a cop hitting a woman goes viral: Reactions explored. (Image via Instagram)

Social media users debate as a video of a cop hitting a woman goes viral: Reactions explored. (Image via Instagram)

However, after many slammed the police officer, the Vallejo police department released a statement and said:

“Once the suspect was on the ground, she continued to actively resist, pivoting her body and gauging the officer’s arm in an attempt to escape, prompting him to strike her once to gain immediate compliance. Thus, the officer was able to detain the suspect.”

At the moment, it is not clear if the woman is still in custody of the California police. The police have not yet stated what charges they would be putting on the woman who allegedly shoplifted.