EspañolYear-old Faith Jeffers Injured After Being Body Slammed By San Bernardino County Deputy During Brawl At Victorville Valley High School
VICTORVILLE, CALIFORNIA (September 26, 2023) – A 16-year-old girl identified as Faith Jeffers was injured after she was violently thrown to the ground by a deputy at Victorville Valley High School.
San Bernardio County officials responded to a brawl that broke out at Victorville Valley High School on September 22. Cell phone footage shows a deputy body slam Faith Jeffers before officers got into a fight with a teen boy.
Multiple fights were taking place at the same time during a football game. Paramedics were called to the scene in order to help Faith Jeffers.
Her mother Priscilla Jeffers said that her daughter sustained traumatic injuries to her spine, head and shoulder. Anyone with more information about what happened should reach out to the Victorville Police Department.
A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For San Bernardino County Police Brutality
Many people are injured each year during their interactions with police officers. According to the Law Enforcement Epidemiology Project, “15 % of civilians who experience police threat of or use of force during legal interventions are injured. An estimated 250,000 civilian injuries are caused by law enforcement officers annually. More than 600 people are killed by law enforcement in the U.S. each year.” There are many ways that a police officer may have acted improperly in their interactions with civilians.
- Officers may have failed to issue verbal commands before using force.
- Officers may not have followed the proper procedures during arrests.
- Officers may engage in the unathorized use of firearms.
- Officers may engage in the unathorized use of tasers.
- Officers may have used improper restraints on suspects.
- Officers may have caused harm to restrained suspects.
All officers have a legal obligation to use the least amount of force necessary for any given situation. When a police officer uses excessive force, this could form the basis of a constitutional claim under (18 U.S.C. §§ 241, 242). Generally speaking, police officers are forbidden from using choke-holds and restraints that apply pressure to a person’s windpipe. Officers should also avoid hitting or striking suspects that do not pose an imminent risk of harm to their safety. Several steps should be taken after any instance of excessive force.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- Police body camera footage should be sought.
- An experienced civil rights attorney should be contacted.
It can be hard to know where to begin after any instance of police brutality. To make matters worse, police departments will do everything in their power to deny liability when they injure a suspect. This is why preserving evidence is so important. Any person that is injured due to the excessive force of police officers may be able to seek some measure of justice through a civil claim. A civil rights attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating San Bernardino County Police Brutality Claims
We at the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP extend our best wishes to Faith Jeffers and her family as she continues to recover. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. A grown man decided to pick up and body slam a young girl. What happened is completely unacceptable and all officers involved need to be held accountable.
Have you or someone that you care about been the victim of police brutality? Our team of civil rights attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that victims of excessive force are aware of their rights and that their assailants are held accountable. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375.
