Police chief put on paid leave after video shows him allegedly body-slamming a student
Written by ABC Audio All Rights Reserved on September 10, 2023
(REDAN, Ga) — A police chief who was allegedly seen on camera body-slamming a student has been put on paid leave, Georgia’s DeKalb County School District (DCSD) said Friday.
In a video that has been circulating on social media, DCSD Police Chief Brad Gober allegedly slams a student to the ground after the student appears to resist another officer who attempted to grab his arm.
The student was then handcuffed and escorted out of the camera’s view. It is unclear what happened before or after the video.
“The school didn’t say nothing about that,” Richard Stephens, the Redan High School student’s father, said to WSB-TV. “I didn’t even know that he was arrested.”
The student’s family didn’t immediately return ABC News’ request for interviews.
ABC News reached out to the school district’s department of public safety and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office for statements. They declined to comment and directed ABC News to DCSD for information on the incident.
“The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) is aware of a recent video circulating in the media regarding an incident involving DCSD Police Chief Brad Gober,” the district said in a statement to ABC News. “In keeping with the standard operating procedure, Chief Gober has been placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of an internal investigation. This standard procedure ensures a comprehensive and impartial assessment of the incident. No additional information will be provided while the investigation is ongoing.”
Gober did not respond to ABC News’ request for a statement.
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