Interaction between Brooklyn Center police officer, suspect under investigation

BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. (KMSP) - Brooklyn Center police are responding after a video of an interaction between one of their officers and a suspect has gone viral.

The video shows an interaction between a Brooklyn Center police officer and someone who police say was wanted in a crime and was actively evading law enforcement. The incident happened on Tuesday in the Wal-Mart parking lot in the Shingle Creek Crossing.

In the video, the officer can be heard saying “get on the ground, right now, hands up, don’t move.” The video shows someone coming out of the van and onto the ground. The officer then says, “Don’t reach for anything – you wanna get shot?” “Don’t move. I’ll put two in the back of your head if you move again, you understand me?”

Brooklyn Center police say the incident took place on Tuesday at 2:20 p.m.

The suspect was arrested and has been identified by Brooklyn Center police as 19-year-old Rease Joseph William Foye-Finch. He was arrested for fleeing police on foot, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, misdemeanor theft and a Hubbard County warrant for failure to appear in court.

Initial statement from Brooklyn Center Police Department

This morning an incident was brought to our attention on Facebook. It documents an interaction between a Brooklyn Center Officer and a citizen. We are in the process of investigating this incident and the interaction.

The suspect was wanted in a crime and was actively evading law enforcement. While the use of a forceful command may be necessary to ensure the safety of both the person being given the command and the officer, threatening language is never appropriate or acceptable. We take all matters of conduct by our officers seriously.