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An internal investigation has begun in the case of two Alameda County, California deputies who were placed on administrative leave after they were filmed viciously beating a suspected car thief.

The chase between the officers and 29-year-old Stanislav Petrov occurred Thursday, according to The Huffington Post. Police claim Petrov led officers on a stolen car chase through San Francisco’s Mission District for over 30 minutes. Petrov then hit a parked car and took off running. Police caught up in a back alleyway, where cameras captured the officers striking the suspect with their batons over 30 times. Petrov was arrested and taken to the hospital, where he was treated for several broken bones in both of his hands and arms and multiple lacerations to the back of his head.

Two days later, the San Francisco public defender’s office released the security video to the public on YouTube. Public defenders Jeff Adachi and Brendon Woods said the footage clearly shows excessive force and called for a federal investigation.

The Huffington Post reports:

“He didn’t pose any threat at that point, and they are clearly using excessive force and trying to seriously hurt him when he was on the ground and subdued,” Adachi said Friday. “I don’t see any reason why he couldn’t be handcuffed and taken into custody.”

Alameda County Public Defender Brendon Woods said he was horrified by the force depicted in the video.”I was shocked, outraged and disgusted,” he said. “I counted over 30 baton strikes. I’m not sure what facts would justify that sort of brutal beating.”

Alameda County Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. J.D. Nelson told reporters a gun was recovered at the scene. Via The Los Angeles Times:

Petrov faces felony charges for ramming a squad car and injuring a deputy, then leading a high-speed chase to San Francisco. He also is being held on suspicion of having a loaded firearm in the stolen vehicle he was driving, possession of methamphetamine and multiple hit-and-runs.

Sgt. Ray Kelly told The Times the identities of the veteran officers would not be released.

“If you look on social media, there’s a lot of threats that have been made against them — pretty vulgar threats,” Sgt. Ray Kelly said. “We have to worry about their safety, in addition to Mr. Petrov in the hospital, too. We don’t want people showing up there, protesters showing up there and causing a whole bunch of problems.”

Petrov is still in the hospital recovering from his injuries.

SOURCE: The Huffington Post | VIDEO CREDIT: Inform 

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Video Catches Brutal Beating Of Car Thief Suspect By California Police Officers  was originally published on newsone.com