Footage shows Oklahoma officer throwing 70-year-old to the ground after traffic ticket

OKLAHOMA CITY — An Oklahoma police officer is under investigation after newly released body-worn camera footage shows him throwing a 70-year-old man to the ground during a dispute over a traffic ticket.

The Oklahoma City Police Department said Lich Vu was hospitalized after the Oct. 27 incident for "serious injuries." Thuan Nguyen, President-elect of the Vietnamese American Community of Oklahoma, told USA TODAY on Tuesday he visited Vu in the hospital last week, and he was on a feeding tube after suffering a brain bleed and neck injury.

"In our community, we want to make sure we see justice in that these things don't happen to another person," Nguyen said.

The police department said it is conducting an internal investigation, and Officer Joseph Gibson is on administrative leave. Findings will be presented to the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office once the probe is completed.

“The Oklahoma City Police Department is dedicated to transparency and accountability,” the agency said in a statement. “We want our community to know that this case is being thoroughly investigated and the review process will take time to complete. We ask for your patience as we work to conclude this investigation.”

The incident in Oklahoma's state capital has garnered calls from community leaders for accountability as the nation approaches the end of what could be a record year for police killings, according to Mapping Police Violence. Human rights advocates have documented excessive police force in the nation for years, and data shows the U.S. far outpaces other wealthy countries in law enforcement violence.

Newly released video sheds light on Oct. 27 incident

The incident in Oklahoma City began with a minor vehicle collision involving Vu and another driver.

Body-worn camera video released Friday starts with Vu sitting in the driver's seat of his parked car with the door open as Gibson stands in front of him in a sunny parking lot. The officer said Vu made an improper U-turn and told him to sign a citation, noting it was not an admission of guilt.

The footage then showed Vu telling the officer he won't sign the ticket. Vu got out of the car and gestured to the road as he appeared to explain the crash. A woman then appeared in the body camera video and stood next to Vu.

Gibson is heard telling Vu he will go to jail if he doesn't sign the ticket.

“I’m ready to go to jail,” Vu responded as they stood in the parking lot.

“You’re ready to go to jail?” Gibson said. “Ridiculous. OK. That involves impounding your car, too.”

Gibson stepped away to speak with the other motorist involved in the crash and issued her a ticket. When he returned to Vu, they continued arguing about the citation. Vu appeared to tap Gibson's chest with the back of his hand.

"You shut up," Vu said.

Gibson quickly grabbed Vu’s arm and twisted it before throwing him flat onto the pavement as he said: "Get on the ground."

Vu appears still for the rest of the video. The woman leans down next to Vu's face and says, "I need the ambulance."

Gibson responded: "Yeah, I'm going to call an ambulance" as he handcuffed Vu. The footage ends a few seconds later. Police said the handcuffs were removed after paramedics were called.

The Oklahoma City Police Department did not immediately return USA TODAY's request for comment Tuesday.

Vietnamese American community leaders call for justice

While Nguyen said the community experiences "implicit bias" in encounters with police, it usually doesn't escalate to the kind of "violent outcome" that led to Vu's hospitalization.

Nguyen said he and other Vietnamese American community leaders met with the Oklahoma City police chief on Thursday, and the police department released the body-worn camera footage the following day.

"We want to work with our officials," Nguyen said.

In addition to possible prejudice, Nguyen said language barriers can impede communication with law enforcement. Going forward, he said the community wants to hold police accountable for the incident, conduct community trainings on how to interact with law enforcement, and make sure people know their rights.

Report: Police use force against 300K people a year

The Mapping Police Violence organization estimates that law enforcement officers in the U.S. use force on at least 300,000 people each year, and about 30% are reportedly injured as a result. The group noted the majority of people that officers use force against are charged with non-violent offenses.

The group has been tracking police killings since 2013, and the death toll reached a record high last year at 1,247 fatalities. Most killings by officers began with traffic stops, mental health checks, disturbances, non-violent offenses, or where no crime was alleged, according to Mapping Police Violence.

So far this year, the group said law enforcement officers have killed 1,045 people across the nation.