Two people in Nashville, Tenn., have been charged with assaulting a police officer, after a wild melee was captured on camera by a bystander and posted to Facebook.
It was allegedly the second attack on an officer in the James Cayce public housing development this week, prompting Nashville Mayor Megan Barry to declare the violence "completely unacceptable."
According to a police statement, Officer Matthew Cammarn saw 22-year-old Brian Shannon assaulting a woman just after 6 p.m. Tuesday in the housing development.
Cammarn approached Shannon and attempted to take him into custody, police said, when the suspect suddenly pulled away, grabbed the officer and pulled him down.
The two began wrestling on the ground, with Cammarn straddling and hitting the suspect, who was punching back.
The violent scene was captured by a witness in a cellphone video, which also shows a bystander pulling and pushing Cammarn in an attempt to free Shannon.
The suspect is then seen untangling himself from the scuffle and running toward S 6th Street, where police said he was caught.
Shannon is jailed on charges of felony aggravated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, evading arrest, criminal trespassing, disorderly conduct and drug possession.
A 17-year-old boy is also charged with aggravated assault and evading arrest, police said. He is being held in juvenile detention, according to police.
Cammarn was treated for a head injury at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and released late Tuesday.
He is the second officer to be injured in the housing development this week, prompting Chief Steve Anderson to order additional law enforcement resources in that area.
"The 1,900 persons who reside in James Cayce Homes deserve a safe and peaceful community, and this police department is working with them to accomplish just that," Anderson said in a statement.
