WA Police officer accused of punching woman during arrest in Kununurra

THIS shocking moment is now the subject of a police investigation. Is the officer in the video really doing what he’s been accused of?

AN investigation is underway after allegations a West Australian police officer punched an Aboriginal woman while she was pinned to the ground.

Police have said they will “review” the incident, which has emerged on social media and appears to show a male officer punching what a woman in Kununurra in the early hours of December 5.

Isaiah Barney, who filmed the incident, told AAP the woman was being restrained by two policemen when one officer struck her in the head in front of a group of stunned onlookers.

“One officer was on her legs and the other officer was on her back and shoulders so hard,” Mr Barney said.

A police officer is accused of punching a woman as she lays on the ground during an arrest in Kununurra on December 5. Picture: Facebook

“I was looking at her – it was hard for her to breathe – and then I started recording.

“I was absolutely shocked. I had to literally re-watch the video to see him hit her, but I had it on camera.” Mr Barney said police had broken up a confrontation between his sister and another woman before the alleged assault.

“I immediately thought they had my sister and so I ran towards them and found they had the other woman on the ground,” he said. “I made it very clear to the police officer in that video that I was recording him. I screamed it out to him ... he struck the lady two times in the head.” A police spokeswoman said it was difficult to comment “based solely on the low quality and limited scope of the vision provided”.

“While no official complaint has been made about the incident, WA Police will conduct a review,” she said.

A spokesman for WA Police Minister Liza Harvey said the state government would not comment until a review was complete.

Originally published as WA Police officer accused of punching woman during arrest in Kununurra