Investigation underway after video allegedly shows Oxford police officer assaulting Miami student
By Daisy Kershaw
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OXFORD, Ohio (WLWT) — A video posted to social media over the weekend has left many students at Miami University in Oxford outraged.
The video appears to show a student being held down and hit repeatedly by an Oxford police officer in the early morning hours of Nov. 18.
The incident happened just outside the Brick Street Bar on E. High Street.
On Tuesday, the Oxford Police Department identified the officer involved in the incident as Matthew Blauvelt, saying he’s been placed on administrative leave pending the results of the investigation.
WLWT has not been given permission to show the video, but it shows Miami student Devin Johnson being restrained on the ground outside the bar by multiple employees.
When Blauvelt arrives on the scene, Johnson still appears to be restrained when the officer punches him repeatedly in the head.
Police were called to the scene after bar employees alleged that Johnson had assaulted a manager after sneaking into the bar and refusing to leave.
Johnson, who is 20, was charged with resisting arrest, assault, underaged possession and criminal trespassing.
The Oxford Police Department released a statement on Tuesday, saying an investigation has begun into “the use of force and whether the force used was reasonable and within Oxford Police Division policy.”
The department said that placing Blauvelt on administrative leave while the investigation remains ongoing is standard protocol.
In a statement to WLWT, Johnson’s lawyer said, “The video circulating involving my client, Devin Johnson, is deeply disturbing. Devin and his family are currently processing this difficult situation while we actively work to fight the criminal charges against him. We are committed to ensuring a fair legal process for Devin. We ask for the public’s understanding and respect for the privacy of Devin and his family during this challenging time.”
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