VALDOSTA, GA. (WTXL) — A viral video showing Valdosta Police officers making several arrests is now raising serious questions about use of force and accountability.
- The Valdosta Police Department referred the incident to the Office of Professional Standards for an independent internal investigation.
- Kiera Reed reports multiple officers entered her apartment, detaining her children, including one underage son, without any alleged explanation.
- Watch the video below to hear from Reed and the VPD.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
I'm Malia Thomas, your neighborhood news reporter here in Valdosta, taking a closer look at a viral video that has several community members questioning the use of force by the Valdosta Police Department.
The incident began outside an apartment complex, where another individual was in the parking lot. Kiera Reed says her teenage sons were nearby, watching what was happening.
"People just been around me and looking to see what's going on," Reed said.According to Reed, officers told her sons to stay in the area, but when they walked away, two to three officers followed them. Multiple officers then entered her apartment. Reed claims there was no explanation for their actions, and the situation quickly escalated.
"They had two, three officers around my kids at one time," she said. "They let my underage son go, but the rest were detained in my apartment."Reed went to the police station afterward but says no one informed her that she needed to come in. Her underage son was briefly in a patrol car before being returned home.
The widely shared video shows a chaotic scene, fueling accusations of excessive force. In response, the Valdosta Police Department issued a statement:
"The incident has been referred to the Office of Professional Standards for an independent internal investigation and review, in accordance with departmental policy."As the investigation continues, Reed says she is pursuing accountability and seeking answers about what happened in her apartment.
In Valdosta, I’m Malia Thomas, reporting for ABC27.
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