Daytona Beach Police bodycam released in controversial open container arrest

ORLANDO, Fla. - Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said Friday that one of his officers has been reassigned to administrative duties and that an investigation has been opened, following the recent arrest of a man for an alleged open container violation.

Chief Young said the video he has seen online "is concerning."

"After review of the body camera footage as well as the video currently being shared online, I will acknowledge what many people have already said, the clip circulating online is concerning," he said, in a prepared and edited video statement shared Friday afternoon on the department's Facebook page.

The video shows the detainment and arrest of a 27-year-old man who was stopped early Thursday morning for allegedly drinking out of a tequila bottle, a violation of the city's open container ordinance. The encounter then escalates with the man detained on the ground, handcuffed, Tased, and repeatedly punched in the face, according to the video and the arrest report.

The backstory:

David Anderson, 27, of Tennessee, was arrested shortly after midnight in Daytona Beach for an alleged open container violation.

According to the arrest report, police said Anderson was asked to get rid of the alcohol, who told the officer to dump it out. Video showed Anderson giving the bottle to the officer, who proceeds to dump it out.

Police said in the report that Anderson threw the cork at the officer, which prompted the arrest. He was then handcuffed and Tased for allegedly resisting arrest, the report states.

Bodycam video released

Daytona Beach Police released nearly five minutes of video from the officer's body camera. You can watch the full video in the embedded Facebook post.

Content warning: Viewer discretion advised.

Officer reassigned

Chief Jakari Young said the officer involved, who has not been identified, has been reassigned to an administrative role pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

Chief Young said he forwarded the video to the Office of Professional Standards to review.

"We expect our officers to handle every encounter with professionalism, patience, and sound judgment," he said in a prepared video statement.

"Let me be clear. As chief, I will always support the men and women of the Daytona Beach Police Department when they act within the law and within our policies. At the same time, when an officer fails short of those standards, it will be addressed swiftly and appropriately."

Daytona Beach Mayor: ‘The images in the video are troubling’

What they're saying:

Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry also addressed the video.

"Like many of you, I have seen the disturbing video of the incident with the Daytona Beach Police, and I understand why it has caused deep concern, frustration, and anger in our community. What we see in the video is incongruent with the standards that we expect from those sworn to protect and serve our community.

The images in the video are troubling, and our community deserves clear answers about what occurred.

Chief Young is aware of the situation and I have been informed that corrective measures are underway.

Our whole community deserves policing that reflects professionalism, restraint, and respect for every person’s humanity.

As Mayor, I assure you,  this is not a matter that will simply be swept away. I remain committed to ensuring that this matter is taken seriously and that our community is kept informed as more information becomes available."