LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Community members at Monday night’s discussion with Clark County School District Police Department Chief Mike Blackeye said they’re waiting for answers related to the incident caught on camera, apparently showing an officer throwing a student to the ground at Durango High School near Rainbow Boulevard and Russell Road in February.
“Why would you guys not allow Metro to investigate the officer,” asked Anna Marie Binder, who attended the meeting.
“Why wasn’t there any accountability, and why didn’t anybody stop him,” asked another attendee.
“The boy was detained because he was recording,” said another.
Blackeye told the community that he could not speak about the investigation but shared that he wished he had more information on the incident and regretted a lack of communication.
“I didn’t know anything about it, and I get a call, and I’m getting questioned by this incident,” said Blackeye. “That was difficult. I wish I would have had more information so I could have added more to our response immediately.”
Brian Zink, a lieutenant with the CCSDPD, said he wants a fair and balanced investigation. That, he said, involves considering the perspective of people and other officers in the area.
According to Blackeye, four different officer body cameras were recording at the time of the incident. Officials say that the video from those cameras should be released when the investigation concludes.
The officer apparently involved in the incident is assigned to other duties where he is not in contact with students, officials said.
The organizer of the meeting and president of the National Action Network in Las Vegas, Robert Bush, said that he’d known Blackeye to be upfront, honest and interested in solving problems. However, Bush assessed that the officer involved in the incident should be separated from the community.
“Under no terms can this officer be allowed to stay in the community and be able to police our kids,” said Bush.