Indiana police tell bystanders they better ‘disappear’ as Black man claims he ‘can’t breathe’ during violent arrest
The department is allegedly investigating the incident.
A bystander caught on camera a violent arrest that occurred in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with a suspect who allegedly fled a traffic stop. During the arrest, however, a police officer supposedly told the bystander they’d better “disappear” if they didn’t want to get dragged into the mess.
The incident was shared by the account @SeeRacists on X. The video, which has since amassed more than 102,200 views on the platform, showed around eight officers arresting a man lying on the ground in the 300 block of Butler Road as red and blue lights flashed at the scene.
According to Wane 15, the incident happened on Sept. 19 at around 12:30am, when the Fort Wayne Police Department apprehended 45-year-old Rahiem Kubisty after he allegedly fled a traffic stop and left his SUV rolling backward to hit a police cruiser. The arrest turned into a short pursuit on foot that ended in a struggle with multiple officers.
Indiana police officers tried to make bystanders leave
Reports say that Kubisty repeatedly flashed his headlights before driving off with them turned off. Officers tried to initiate a traffic stop, only for Kubisty to run a red light and leave his vehicle at Dewald and Barr Street.
What caught the public’s attention, however, was the seeming use of violence to subdue the suspect. In the video, several officers can be seen trying to handcuff Kubisty, who was lying on the ground. One of the officers also appeared to be landing several punches to the suspect’s face.
Kubisty can be heard repeatedly telling the officers that he “can’t breathe,” only to be told by the officer to “shut the f*** up.” One of the officers seemingly turned the aggression toward the bystander filming the arrest, the same officer who allegedly punched Kubisty. “If you don’t want to get involved, you might want to f****** disappear. You heard what I said,” the officer told the bystander.
Bystanders, however, have the right to record law enforcement carrying out their duties, especially in public spaces, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. Footage recorded by civilians serves as a check and balance to keep authorities accountable, prevent misconduct, accusations of bias, and faulty memory.
As the arrest continued, more officers arrived. At one point, Kubisty can be heard requesting an ambulance before an officer loudly said, “What do you need an ambulance for, big dog?” Kubisty reportedly protested the necessity of the punch, but an officer appeared to be taunting the suspect.
“You ran from us. For what? For what? Cause you’re a little b****?” the officer said. “You just ran from us. This is what happens.” Another officer can be heard saying, “You’re lucky you didn’t get more.”
Officers reportedly put on clerical duties
X users condemned the police officers’ actions and their use of force to make the arrest. “If everything happening is lawful and justified, why does the witness with a camera suddenly need to vanish?” one user wrote. A second added, “The fact that the cop who threatened the onlookers wasn’t immediately fired is telling.”
Another noted that the number of officers arresting a single person seemed excessive, saying, “No d*** need for so many pigs to detain one person. At most it should be two. If someone needs an ambulance call one. You can cuff them to the gurney and ride with them to the hospital.”
Following the incident, the police department issued a statement, claiming that it is looking into the events surrounding the arrest: “We take community concerns seriously, especially when a video raises questions about police actions. We understand people want answers quickly. We are reviewing the incident, gathering available video, and determining the facts. Videos may show important information, but they may not show everything that occurred before, during, or after an incident.”
Police chief PJ Smith said that two of the officers had been placed on “restrictive duty” and assigned to clerical work, per the Atlanta Black Star. He also confirmed that bystanders have the right to record police encounters.
Meanwhile, three police officers reportedly suffered minor injuries during the altercation. Kubisty was examined by medical professionals before he was taken to Allen County Jail. He is said to be facing several preliminary charges, including three counts of resisting law enforcement, habitual traffic violation, and leaving the scene of a property damage crash.
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