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Ex-Cop Charged With Assault For Allegedly Slamming Man's Head On Concrete
(Photo by Carl Ballou via Shutterstock)
A former police corporal was arrested today on charges that he violently assaulted an alleged tagger while on duty in an incident caught on a surveillance camera. On Wednesday, investigators from the L.A. County Sheriff's Department arrested former Montebello police officer Mark Ryan, 37, on a charge of assault under color of authority for allegedly slamming a man's head onto the pavement on Halloween in 2014, reports the L.A. Times. A felony complaint was filed on April 5 against Ryan, who recently left the department, and the investigation began when sheriff's deputies received footage of the alleged incident caught on security cameras of a restaurant.
According to the complaint, Ryan responded to a call about two individuals reportedly spray-painting walls in the 2100 block of West Whittier Boulevard. Sources tell the Times that the video allegedly shows Ryan scuffling with the man and then slamming his head on the ground. The video or further details have not been publicly released.
Earlier this year, Ryan retired from the Montebello Police Department after 13 years as an officer and is now working as a real estate agent, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. He was the president of the Montebello Police Officers’ Association last year, and also U.S. Army from 1999 to 2003.
Ryan is scheduled to appear on Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court.
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