OKLAHOMA CITY — An officer from the Oklahoma City Police is under investigation after recently released body camera footage depicted him throwing a 70-year-old man to the ground amid a traffic ticket disagreement.

The police stated that Lich Vu was hospitalized following the incident on October 27 for “serious injuries.” According to Thuan Nguyen, the President-elect of the Vietnamese American Community of Oklahoma, he visited Vu in the hospital last week, where Vu was on a feeding tube due to a brain bleed and neck injury.

“Our community seeks justice to prevent such incidents from happening to someone else,” Nguyen shared with YSL News.

The police department is conducting an internal investigation, and Officer Joseph Gibson has been placed on administrative leave. The findings will be forwarded to the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office at the conclusion of the investigation.

“The Oklahoma City Police Department emphasizes transparency and accountability,” the agency stated. “We want the community to be aware that this case is undergoing a thorough investigation, and completing this review will require time. We appreciate your patience as we work to finish this investigation.”

The incident has led community leaders to demand accountability as the nation nears the end of a year marked by high rates of police violence, according to Mapping Police Violence. Activists have long highlighted the problem of excessive force used by law enforcement, with data illustrating that the U.S. has a higher rate of police violence compared to other wealthy nations.

Newly published video provides insight into the Oct. 27 altercation

The event in Oklahoma City began with a minor car accident involving Vu and another driver.

The released body camera footage shows Vu sitting in his parked car with the door ajar while Officer Gibson stands in front of him in a sunny parking lot. The officer informed Vu that he made an illegal U-turn and asked him to sign a citation, clarifying that signing did not mean he was admitting guilt.

In the video, Vu expressed his refusal to sign the ticket. He exited the vehicle and appeared to gesture to the roadway while explaining the accident. A woman then approached Vu in the frame.

Gibson is heard threatening that Vu would face arrest if he did not sign. Vu retorted, “I’m ready to go to jail,” as they stood together in the parking lot.

Gibson responded incredulously, “You’re ready to go to jail? That’s absurd. Now I have to impound your vehicle too.”

After stepping away to speak with the other driver involved, Gibson returned to argue with Vu about the citation. In the heat of the exchange, Vu seemed to tap Gibson’s chest with the back of his hand.

“You need to be quiet,” Vu told Gibson.

In a swift motion, Gibson seized Vu’s arm, twisted it, and forcefully threw him onto the ground while commanding him to “Get on the ground.”

Vu remained still for the remainder of the footage. The woman next to him leaned in and stated, “I need an ambulance.”

The Oklahoma City Police Department did not immediately respond to YSL News’s request for comment on Tuesday.

Leaders from the Vietnamese American community call for accountability

Nguyen noted that while the community faces “implicit bias” during police interactions, such situations usually do not escalate to the violent outcomes seen in Vu’s incident.

He mentioned that he and fellow Vietnamese American leaders met with the police chief last Thursday before the body camera footage was made public the next day.

“We are eager to collaborate with our officials,” Nguyen expressed.

Beyond the potential for bias, language barriers also complicate communication with law enforcement, he stated. Moving forward, the community aims to ensure police accountability for this incident, provide training on interactions with law enforcement, and educate people about their rights.

Report: Police employ force against 300,000 individuals annually

The Mapping Police Violence organization estimates that police in the U.S. use force on at least 300,000 individuals each year, with around 30% of those people suffering injuries. Most of those subjected to police force are typically charged with non-violent crimes.

Since 2013, the group has been tracking instances of police killings, reporting a record 1,247 fatalities last year. Many of these fatal encounters began during traffic stops, mental health checks, disturbances, or involved non-violent offenses where no crime was alleged, according to their findings.

As of this year, the group reports that law enforcement has killed 1,045 individuals nationwide.