WATCH: Video showing Richard Cox paralyzed after injury in police van sparks outrage online 

Richard Cox Jr., a 36-year-old Connecticut man, suffered grave injuries to his spine and neck while being detained by New Haven authorities on June 19. After footage of the release was revealed online, netizens were outraged by what they perceived as a case of police misconduct.

The incident began on Father's Day when Richard Cox was arrested by New Haven authorities for illegally possessing a firearm. As seen in the video, authorities put Cox in the back of a van without a seatbelt. Cox attempts to kick the doors but eventually slides off the van's bench as the vehicle begins speeding.

According to CNN, when Cox fell, he most likely injured his back and spine, leading to paralysis. He called the officers for help, begging them to stop the van. Cox said:

“I can’t move. I’m in pain. I literally can’t move.”

He later continued:

“I think I broke my neck. I broke my neck. I can’t move.”

However, the officer refused.

The officer said:

"You're gonna have to give me a second. I can't open the door without another officer here."

Officers were particularly apprehensive about stopping the vehicle because Cox was kicking the door.

The officer told his colleague:

"Just be careful, he was kicking the door, and everything else."

Eventually, however, the officers did stop the car. When they tried to move him out of the van, Richard Cox told the authorities he could not move. The officers, however, did not believe him.

One officer said:

"You're not even trying."

Eventually, authorities transported the paralyzed Richard Cox in a wheelchair. Leaders and citizens expressed outrage because the videos do not show any ambulances or medical treatment for Cox. Instead, the footage typically ends with him being injured in the holding cell.

---

Leaders and community figures speak out against what happened to Richard Cox

In an official statement, Mayor Justin Elicker apologized to Cox's family, claiming that the police made a mistake.

Elicker said:

"Mr. Cox made his injury known to other officers upon arrival at the detention facility. The officers involved proceeded to put Mr. Cox in detention — first attempting to do so by wheelchair and then physically moving him to detention."

He added:

“No matter what someone did or didn’t do doesn’t make a difference, once they’re in police custody, we owe the person respect. We owe that person safety. And we did not accomplish that in this incident.”

Elicker said that all 5 officers involved in the incident are now on administrative leave. He told news outlets that Cox would likely be paralyzed for life.