Video of girl's arrest at St. Joe's Picnic in Louisville sparks calls for investigation

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Louisville Urban League and the city's chapter of the NAACP are calling for an investigation and accountability after an incident at the St. Joe's Picnic for Kids last weekend.

The groups want to know what led up to a Jefferson County sheriff's deputy taking a young girl to the ground and putting her in handcuffs during the picnic Saturday, Aug. 9.

The NAACP calls video of the incident "beyond disturbing."

"The Louisville Branch NAACP is demanding a full investigation of a violent weekend arrest of a young Black girl at the St. Joe's Picnic for the Kids," the NAACP said in a statement. "A video of the encounter on Facebook shows a Jefferson County Sheriff's Deputy grabbing the girl by her hair, forcefully throwing her to the ground and holding her down as a crowd watches."

According to the Louisville Urban League, the girl was charged with criminal trespassing. Sheriff's office spokesperson Lt. Col. Carl Yates said she's due in court Aug. 28, and the sheriff's office will wait until that hearing to start their own investigation into the incident to ensure it doesn't interfere with the criminal investigation and vice-versa.

Louisville Urban League President Lyndon Pryor penned a letter to Sheriff Col. John Aubrey, requesting a formal inquiry and public accountability.

"These actions represent a serious breach of public trust and a profound violation of civil rights, prompting immediate and significant concern within the Louisville Urban League and the wider community," Pryor wrote.

The LUL is asking for the release of reports related to the incident, video evidence, the officer's identity and status, details about the girl's charges and information on the investigation by the sheriff's office.

Yates said the deputy involved in the video is a reserve deputy, meaning he volunteered for the detail, and wouldn't be assigned to a detail as the investigation plays out.

This story may be updated.

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