Virginia governor calls for investigation into police pepper-spraying of Black Army officer
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said Sunday he is directing Virginia State Police to investigate a traffic stop during which two police officers held an Army second lieutenant at gunpoint in the southeast part of the state.
Northam (D) said the incident in which body-camera footage shows police pepper-spraying, striking and handcuffing Caron Nazario is disturbing and angered me. Nazario, 27, who is Black and Latino, filed a lawsuit this month against Windsor officers Joe Gutierrez and Daniel Crocker that alleges excessive force due to racial profiling.
Our Commonwealth has done important work on police reform, but we must keep working to ensure Virginians are safe during interactions with police, the enforcement of laws is fair and equitable, and people are held accountable, Northam said in a statement.
Neither Windsor Police Chief Rodney Riddle nor Mayor Glyn Willis immediately responded to requests for comment Sunday. Windsor is a town of about 2,600 residents, located about 30 miles west of Norfolk.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/northam-nazario-windsor-police/2021/04/11/fb147f88-9b05-11eb-9d05-ae06f4529ece_story.html