A nine-year-old student from Washington, D.C., has accused a police officer of assaulting him and other students after a school assembly centered on gang culture.
Atlanta Black Star reports that Alexis Gibbs’ son, Raynard, returned from his school day with 30 bruises on his face. Raynard told his mother that the bruises came from a police officer.
NBC 29 reported that D.C. Public Schools sent a statement to parents about the alleged incident between students and police officers.
According to NBC 29, the statement said: “During an assembly activity, it was reported by students that a visiting officer conducted a demonstration on a student that involved physical force. As a principal, I take this allegation seriously.”
Raynard told NBC 29 that there was a discussion about the Crips and Bloods gangs during the assembly. Raynard added that two fellow students were taken into a computer room after allegedly saying they admired Crips and Bloods and were slammed on a desk. Raynard also told NBC 29 that police grabbed his neck and busted his lip. He also added that the police chipped a kid’s tooth.
“He said, ‘Don’t tell your parents, I get y’all some pizza,’” Raynard said to NBC 29. “Keep it quiet, don’t tell your parents.”
Washington D.C.’s Public School system has informed the Metropolitan Police Department and Child and Family Services of the alleged incident, according to NBC 29.
“I don’t know if this was some type of ‘scared straight’ kind of thing and that would even have been fine with me if I was notified,” Gibbs said to NBC 29. “However, my son was assaulted, and like I said, I was never informed.”
“I’m just trying to get to the bottom of it,” Gibbs said to NBC 29. “Like I said, I’m not OK. My son was harmed in the hands of, you know, the school.”