Police officer who hit man resigns

BALTIMORE — A Baltimore police officer recorded while repeatedly punching a man in a street confrontation has resigned, and investigators are looking at charging him with second-degree assault, Interim Police Commissioner Gary Tuggle said Monday.

Tuggle said at a news conference that the officer’s use of “repeated head strikes” and attempts to take the man to the ground were “disturbing.” The officer’s actions were not acceptable, even if they were sparked by emotions, because an officer shouldn’t act on them, Tuggle added.

The video recorded Saturday begins with the officer, who Tuggle didn’t identify, standing in front of a black man who has his back to a wall. The officer, who is also black, can be seen shoving the man in the chest before the officer starts throwing punches. The man tries to block punches from the officer but doesn’t appear to fight back. The video ends with the officer on top of him.

A second officer who was present Saturday has been assigned to administrative duties during the investigation. Tuggle said the second officer had a duty to contain the situation and keep himself safe.

Attorney Warren Brown said his client, 26-year-old Dashawn McGrier, was the man being punched in the video. McGrier was hospitalized Saturday and wasn’t charged, he said.