A police chief in Alabama put three officers on paid administrative leave Monday after videos of the officers beating and using a stun gun on University of Alabama students emerged over the weekend.
Tuscaloosa Police Chief Steve Anderson said he was "deeply disturbed" by the videos, and called the incident a "black eye" for the department.
A pack of officers pulled three students from an off-campus apartment and arrested them after responding to a noise complaint early Sunday morning.
Anderson didn't name the officers put on leave. But they are the officer who first responded to the complaint, another officer who allegedly used a Taser on a student, and another officer who beat that same student with a baton.
Officers arrested the tasered student for possible harassment. They arrested the other two students on charges of obstruction and resisting arrest.
Statement on TPD video: We are aware of the incident, and we remain very concerned about the welfare of all students who were there (1 of 5)— The Univ. of Alabama (@UofAlabama) November 9, 2015
…, esp. those who were arrested. We have reached out to provide support to them, and will continue to provide services they need. (2 of 5)— The Univ. of Alabama (@UofAlabama) November 9, 2015
The University of Alabama said three of its campus officers responded to the noise complaint, and university officials are taking a look at how they handled the altercation.
The longest of three videos from the arrests shows an officer arguing with students as he tries to pull one of them from the apartment. The officer tells the student he is under arrest for harassment, though students continue to ask what he's been charged with.
After several minutes of back-and-forth, the officer lunges for the student just as several more officers arrive. One video appears to show the first student being tased, while another shows him being beaten with a baton.
Anderson said Tuscaloosa police are going through an internal investigation to see what led to the violent arrests.