Cayce, SC 06/01/2022 (Paul Kirby) – Following the arrest last week of Brookland-Cayce High School Assistant Principal Leon Brunson for assaulting a student, the Cayce Police Department has released additional information and several videos that illustrate Brunson’s actions toward students. According to the police, the latest example of Brunson using excessive force against a student took place on May 25, 2022.
According to Ashley Hunter, spokesperson for the CPD, after the latest incident occurred, a thorough investigation was launched which included interviews with students, teachers, eyewitnesses, and the viewing of video surveillance footage. After the conclusion of the investigation, Brunson was arrested on charges of Assault in the 3rd Degree and Unlawful Conduct Towards a Child.
Hunter continued to explain that the video footage of the May 25th incident shows Brunson lunges toward the student and slams him to the ground long after the fight between the students was over. It shows the two students involved in the altercation were separated and had left the building. Hunter said the students were walking away from each other at the time Brunson assaulted the student.
As with any normal investigative procedures, Brunson was afforded the opportunity to provide a voluntary statement to investigators with the CPD. He declined to give one invoking his right to remain silent.
Ms. Hunter said in her statement that the Cayce Police Department has a zero-tolerance policy for violence in schools. The charge of Unlawful Conduct Towards a Child stem from Brunson not protecting the mental, physical health or safety of a student.
Body slamming a child is not the “action that is reasonable to stop a fight,” as Lexington Two’s School Administrators stated after their own investigation into the incident. They have also concluded that the body slam did not occur during the time that the students were actively fighting.
Cayce Police Department’s Spokesperson Ashley Hunter went on to say in her statement that during their investigation, they uncovered a pattern of this type of excessive force used by Brunson toward students. In addition to this specific assault from May 25, 2022, they are now releasing video footage from a similar incident that occurred in March 2020 where Brunson is seen using a body slam to subdue a child.
Both of the videos can be viewed here:
May 25, 2022:
March 10, 2020:
Brunson was booked into the Lexington County Detention Center last week but has since been released on bond.
PHOTO: Leon Brunson
