A black University of Virginia student was allegedly brutalized by Alcoholic Beverage Control agents outside a pub in Charlottesville early on Wednesday after his ID was rejected.
Reports say that Martese Johnson, a 20-year-old student, was pulled aside by an ABC officer after his ID was rejected and was suddenly wrestled to the ground and handcuffed.
Sometime during his arrest, Johnson's head was split open. The gash reportedly required 10 stitches. Johnson was charged with public intoxication and obstruction of justice.
We stand with you Martese Johnson. This is unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/K0Fbid2cee— Virginia Comp Cheer (@VCCatUVA) March 18, 2015
In a video of the arrest, you can hear Johnson screaming in seemingly confused rage.
Though some reports have claimed Johnson was using a fake ID to get into the pub--something that college students across the United States do on a regular basis--it's possible that his ID was rejected for another reason. Being only 20-years-old, Johnson wouldn't legally be allowed to drink at a bar. Still, based on the tweet below from his Twitter account, he may also have been using a temporary license.
Lost my driver's license damn.— Martese Johnson (@BoogieJohnson_) March 7, 2015
After being taken to the ground, Charlottesville Police charged Johnson with obstruction of justice without force and profane swearing and/or intoxication in public. He was not accused of using a fake ID, his attorney, Daniel Watkins, said in a statement.
Statement from #MarteseJohnson 's attorney: pic.twitter.com/7pGfHUEltm— Kelly Avellino NBC12 (@KellyAvellino) March 18, 2015
UVA President Teresa Sullivan got in touch with the state governor's office, and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has requested an investigation by Virginia State Police. The ABC is a state agency.
Gov. McAuliffe has requested an independent State Police investigation of ABC arrest last night in Cville in which a student was injured.— Terry McAuliffe (@GovernorVA) March 18, 2015
Sullivan released an online statement saying she has met with city and university police to discuss Johnson's arrest, and noted that "every member of our community should feel safe from the threat of bodily harm."
Though her note didn't address how Johnson's head was split open, an online statement from other university officials was much more explicit.
"We are outraged by the brutality against a University of Virginia undergraduate student that occurred in the early hours Wednesday," university Vice President Marcus Martin and Dean Maurice Apprey wrote. "His head was slammed into the hard pavement with excessive force." They went on to write that the arrest was "highly unusual and appalling based on the information we have received."
A group of black students also sent an email to the UVA community, seemingly stunned by what they'd seen and heard about Johnson's arrest.
"Today, we are reminded of the gruesome reality that we are not immune to injustice; as University students, we are not impervious to the brutality that has reeled on news cycles around the country," the note stated, signed only by "Concerned Black Students."
The ABC also released a statement online, saying that "the arrested individual sustained injuries" and the agents involved in Johnson's arrest have been put on administrative duty.