Video Appears To Show Officer Egging On Crowd While Ejecting Cubs Fan
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Another controversial video of a Pittsburgh Police officer that body slammed a Chicago Cubs fan at PNC Park has surfaced.
The incident happened during the Pittsburgh Pirates' 4-0 Wild Card loss to the Cubs.
The original video showed a Cubs fan in what appeared to be a goat costume speaking with an officer. The man, later identified as Dimitri Mitalas, was taken into custody after being body slammed to the ground by the officer.
The police union has said Mitalas brought it on himself by not complying with commands, but his Chicago lawyers see it differently.
Dimitri said it started when a Pirates fan hit him with a tobacco spit cup and they exchanged words. Eventually, an officer told Mitalas he had to go and it went downhill from there.
Now, video of an officer escorting a different Cubs from the stands has surfaced. In it, the fan can be seen blowing a kiss to the crowd and waving goodbye. The officer is seen waving to the crowd in a way that seems to be egging on a booing crowd.
Some say it's the same officer from the body-slamming incident.
You can watch the video here:
The video was shot by Brandon Conley, a Cubs fan from Indiana. He says the officer escorted the fan out after he got mouthy, but he says it wasn't enough to warrant getting kicked out of the park.
Conley says he thinks the officers' actions were unprofessional.
In a statement released Friday afternoon, Citizen Police Review Board Executive Director Beth Pittinger said:
"The officer appeared to be inciting the fans for no legitimate law enforcement purpose. It was inappropriate, almost taunting. The bravado demonstrated while escorting the Cubs fan from the stands is irrelevant to the force/body slam; that encounter must be scrutinized on its own facts."
Mayor Bill Peduto has ordered an investigation into the body slamming incident.
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