NOTE: Some of the language used by the two suspects in this encounter with police may be offensive and inappropriate for some readers. Each video’s label is a direct link to that full, unedited video.
Cayce, SC (Paul Kirby) – The Cayce Department of Public Safety has now released additional video footage of their officers’ interactions with two women suspected of vandalizing a bridge near the West Columbia Riverwalk Monday night.
The first video they released after lunch on Monday was labeled as Intro to Bodycam. It was bodycam footage from the first officer who arrived and began interacting with the women. The full recording of his interaction with the pair was recorded on his bodycam for over 34 minutes. It is labeled as Body Camera 1. That officer had stopped to speak with these two particular women because they fit the description of suspects who had reportedly applied paint to a nearby bridge, according to Cayce’s DPS.
In that first Intro to Bodycam footage, it plainly shows the officer courteously approaching the women who were both pushing baby carriages. The carriages, in and of themselves, were a key part of the description of the vandals according to Cayce. The officer saw one woman obviously had paint on her clothing, and that also fit with the callers’ description of what they had seen. This prompted several people to call the police. At that point, due to reasonable suspicion that these two may have been the reported vandals, the officer began a field investigation.
The Cayce officer explained to the pair that he was conducting an investigation into the report of a crime. He asked the woman with the paint on her clothes how it got there. Her explanation was that she was an artist. At this point, the video was recording the entire conversation between the officer and both women. When the officer asked the women to produce some identification, the second woman immediately became belligerent and both did not heed the officer’s request. No identification was produced by either at that point.
Although the primary suspect, the woman with the paint on her clothes was non-compliant and belligerent, the second suspect seemed to become much more agitated and quickly escalated the situation by becoming further aggressive. Although the description of both suspects was given to Cayce’s dispatch by what the officer said was several complainants and there was the paint matching the color used to deface the bridge on one of the woman’s clothes, both women eventually began to walk away ignoring the officer’s direction to stop as they were not free to leave at that point. He had repeatedly advised them they were subjects that were key to his field investigation.
Both women became very vocal and talked over the officer many times. At a point later on, one of the women even exposed her breasts to him in attempt to show something she said was painted on her body. This is in another video that is included in this story. The women kept yelling and acting erratically until the officer moved to detain the subject he was dealing with. Once he began the process of placing her in handcuffs, her attitude and demeanor slowly changed, and she began to eventually comply with the officer’s directions. He never had to cuff that woman.
The other woman had already walked a short distance away where additional officers had arrived as backup. They encountered and began to interact with her. However, she continued to escalate her aggression, giving the officers no choice but to attempt to detain her for everyone’s safety. Due to her refusal to comply, a second officer took hold of her wrist and arm until she was taken to the ground. This entire interaction can be seen in footage labeled Dash Camera 1.
The woman continued to struggle, resist, and curse at the officer until a female officer arrived. The two were eventually able to turn her onto her stomach and place her in handcuffs. If you look at the video closely, at no time does either officer appear to place their knees on any part of her body. The male officer appears to have one knee on the ground and his other leg braced against the curb. The female officer appears to be in a squatting position and is bearing weight only on the suspect with her hands. Review that entire 32 minutes of footage here and make a decision for yourself.
The remaining two videos released by Cayce Tuesday night include the bodycam footage of the officer that first tried to stop the second female and eventually had to take her to the ground. That footage is labelled Body Camera 3. The footage labelled as Body Camera 2 is from the female officer's perspective as she assists in subduing the resisting subject. The fourth and final footage is from an officer who arrived after the woman had been detained. He interviewed several people who were attempting to leave and could have been potential witnesses. Eventually he walked up to the woman in cuffs and spoke with her as well. That footage is labelled Body Camera 4.
By the end of the encounter, both women were identified and then released. A spokesperson for the City of Cayce said their investigation into the vandalism and encounter with the two women is ongoing. We have reached out in an attempt to get into contact with either or both of the women involved. It is rumored there is video footage taken by them or an independent witness. If anyone has that footage, you may email it to the Lexington Ledger for use at thelexingtonledger@gmail.com.
