Two Arkansas deputies fired after video of arrest beating went viral. Here's what we know

Joyce Orlando, Fort Smith Times Record
·4 min read
290

Video footage showing a South Carolina man being beaten by three Arkansas law enforcement officers surfaced on social media in August 2022. The video resulted in two Crawford County Sheriff's deputies being suspended and ultimately fired. A Mulberry police officer was also placed on leave.

The incident occurred outside an Arkansas convenience store around 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 21. According to police, a report indicated that a man was making threats to a convenience store employee in Mulberry, Arkansas.

The Arkansas State Police are investigating the incident after the video was widely circulated on social media.

More:Arkansas brutality claims are nation's latest to put police training under microscope

Video of police brutality

The 35-second video of three Arkansas law enforcement officers appearing to beat a person appeared on Reddit not too long after the incident, according to the time stamp on the post.

In the video, three law enforcement officers are seen on top of a man under arrest punching him in the head and kneeing him several times. An officer points at the person recording the video, ordering her to stop videotaping.

Since then, more than 9,000 comments have been made on the video.

Who is the man beaten in the Arkansas police video?

The man, identified as Randal Worcester, 27, of Goose Creek, South Carolina, is seen in the video on the ground under two Crawford County deputies and a Mulberry police officer outside of a Georgia Ridge Drive gas station.

Randal Worcester departs from the Crawford County Justice Center in Van Buren, Arkansas. Three Arkansas law enforcement officers were suspended after a video of Worcester's arrest showed two of them beating the suspect while a third officer held him on the ground outside a convenience store.
Randal Worcester departs from the Crawford County Justice Center in Van Buren, Arkansas. Three Arkansas law enforcement officers were suspended after a video of Worcester's arrest showed two of them beating the suspect while a third officer held him on the ground outside a convenience store.

A news release from the Arkansas State Police stated:

"The Arkansas State Police has opened an investigation into the use of force by two Crawford County sheriff’s deputies and a Mulberry police officer in the arrest of a South Carolina man."

Worcester was taken to an area hospital for examination and treatment before being taken to jail. Worcester was released Monday afternoon from the Crawford County Jail in Van Buren after posting $15,000 bond, a jailer said.

One of Worcester's attorneys, David Powell, said Worcester is in "good spirits" despite injuries to his head, elbows, and knees after Sunday's incident.

"What he went through yesterday was horrific," Powell said. He says he hopes to have the complaints dismissed against Worcester.

More:Convenience store clerk details threats made before man beaten in violent Arkansas arrest

Who are the Arkansas law enforcement officers involved?

On Aug. 22, the Crawford County Sheriff's Office released the names of the two deputies and the Mulberry police officer in a Facebook post.

Zack King and Levi White were identified as the deputies in the video and Thell Riddle was identified as the officer from Mulberry.

The Facebook post also referred to an comment with an address for a Zack King, "this is a civilian and is NOT the Crawford County Deputy or associated with the Crawford County Sheriff's Office," the post read.

Both Arkansas State Police and federal officials are launching an investigation into the violent arrest, Crawford County Sheriff Jimmy Damante said Monday. The FBI, and possibly the Department of Justice, will get involved for "civil rights violations," he said.

Crawford County Deputies Zack King, Levi White fired after investigation; Thell Riddle remains on leave

Zack King and Levi White have been terminated from employment with the Crawford County Sheriff's Department, authorities confirmed Thursday, Oct. 6.

"I'm glad to see that Crawford County has decided to do the right thing and fire these officers," said Adam Rose, an attorney for Worcester. "However, this is only a single step in the right director, but nowhere near the end of the journey for justice."

Mulberry Police Officer Thell Riddle remains on paid administrative leave as of Thursday, Oct. 6.

On Aug. 29, a federal civil lawsuit was filed, which alleged that the law officers used excessive force during Worcester's Aug. 21 arrest. The civil lawsuit requests a jury trial.

September 2022:State chooses special prosecutor in excessive force case

Where is Mulberry, Arkansas?

Mulberry is located about 137 miles northwest of Little Rock. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. With a population of 1,655, as of the 2010 Census.

Robert Medley and USA Today contributed to this report. 

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas Police video: 2 fired, 1 suspended after beating caught on tape