Last week, you heard a 16-year-old boy tell a harrowing tale of being kidnapped, beaten, and deserted in a gang ridden area by police officers. Well today, his father came back to our studio, but this time he was with his 15-year-old daughter. That's because the girl, who is a student at Wesley College, was allegedly beaten up by another police officer.
Akeelah Perry told us that this afternoon, she was near the Pound Yard Bridge when an officer began taking pictures of her and her friend, and accusing her of being involved in a fight that occurred the day before. She denied involvement, and when the officer called for backup from two other nearby cops, she tried to run away. The officers chased her and one of them reportedly punched her in her back and face.
According to her, she had to be saved by bystanders in the area. She told us that it was a terrifying experience, during which she feared for her life, and she couldn't understand why the officer would attack her like that.
As for her father, he said that it's about time he takes legal action. We spoke to both of them today - and stress that both father and daughter gave permission for her identity not to be concealed.
Akeelah Perry, Student
"He tells me that I was in a fight and I tell him I wasn't in any fight, so then he told me he was going to call the mobile to pick me up and lock me up and I ask him for what and the he called 2 other police and then I ran and then the other girl ran also."
"I went in the shop and he [police] ran behind me and punch me in my back and my face and then my mouth was bleeding and a man held him down so he couldn't hit me. They call the police for him, because everyone is saying that he is hitting a child without the parents around. He asks him why was he hitting and he didn't answer."
Reporter
"When that was happening, what were you feeling?"
Akeelah Perry, Student
"Hurt, because I was asking why was he hitting me and everyone was watching him hitting me and I started crying, because he has no right to hit me. And then he was stopping people from recording with their phones."
Reporter
"Have you ever had an experience like this with the police or something similar where they put you in a position that you were scared?"
Akeelah Perry, Student
"No, ma'am. This is the first incident."
Reporter
"I know you've heard of police doing different things and now experiencing it for yourself, how do you view the police and the police department?"
Akeelah Perry, Student
"Bad, because I think the police are supposed to set good example for the children and now just beating a minor and a teenager who is going to high school - I just feel bad, because they say the police are helping people. And now, they become someone who destroys people."
Anthony Perry Sr., Father
"It hurts me in the sense that it's my daughter they hurt. Right now, as we speak, I already made a report concerning my son and I didn't get any solution, any result, no nothing. So as I say any lawyer that I can get, who wants to deal with me to give me some advice concerning what is happening - I could pay them. Call me or whatever. I don't know how they are, but just pull up and let is get this understanding going that police needs to understand that can't just beat down on minors."
Her father said he will go and make a report with the PSB on Monday.
