'Not easy to watch:' Viral video shows police officer repeatedly punching woman during arrest in Charlotte

Questions have been raised after a video shared on social media shows a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police repeatedly punching a woman in south Charlotte on Monday.

The video, posted and shared on Instagram, shows at least four CMPD officers Monday restraining a woman on the ground while a fifth officer can be seen raising his fist and bringing it down towards the woman multiple times.

In the video, another officer can be seen escorting a man away from the woman.

The incident happened Monday just after 2 p.m. near the intersection of South Tryon Street and West Arrowood Road in south Charlotte.

In the video, a small crowd can be seen yelling toward officers, who eventually grab the woman by each of her arms and escort her toward a patrol car.

In a release, CMPD officials say two individuals were smoking marijuana in public, and when officers approached, the woman punched an officer in the face. The man had a firearm, according to the release.

"Both individuals refused arrest, and a struggle with officers ensued. A female was laying on her hands and not allowing officers to arrest her," said the release. "One officer threw multiple strikes to the female subject's right thigh and 'stop resisting' was stated several times."

After several repeated verbal commands, the officer struck the woman seven times with knee strikes and 10 closed fist strikes to the peroneal nerve, the release states.

"The officer was intentional about where the strikes were made. Police use of force is never easy to watch. Officers are trained to strike large muscle groups in order to gain compliance during an arrest," the release states. The full release was shared on X.

Police say internal affairs are investigating the situation.

According to a report from WCNC, the woman was charged with assault on a police officer, resisting arrest and possession of marijuana. The man has been charged with carrying a concealed weapon, resisting arrest and possession of marijuana.

The identities of those arrested have not been formally released by CMPD, but Bojangles confirmed both people involved are employees and remain employed at this time. The two had recently clocked out from shifts at the nearby Bojangles and left the property, according to WCNC, where the report first appeared.

“Like many other Charlotteans, we were shocked and saddened by the video of an incident between Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police and a Bojangles employee," a statement from Bojangles reads, in part. "While we wait to learn more of the details of what led to the incident, we plan to cooperate fully with any investigation.

Chief Johnny Jennings, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Chief of Police issued a statement saying, "I never want to see an officer, much less one of my own, involved in a situation like this." He believes the bodycam footage will tell "more of the story than what is circulating on social media." Chief Jennings will request the courts to release bodycam footage for the public to see.