Eric Casebolt: Texas Pool Party Cop Resigns Amid Public Outrage
McKinney Police Corporal Eric Casebolt has reportedly resigned from the law enforcement agency amid public backlash surrounding the controversial pool party video that surfaced online over the weekend. Although the officer was initially placed on administrative leave due to a pending investigation about the incident, Fox 4 News reports that City Attorney Jane Bishkin has confirmed the resignation. Casebolt’s departure comes less than a week after the shocking ordeal took place.
On Sunday, June 7, footage of a McKinney Texas pool party that went terribly wrong two days prior was uploaded to YouTube. In the shocking seven-minute clip, the 10-year police veteran can be seen yelling expletives, shoving teens, man-handling a bikini-clad 14-year-old girl, and pulling his gun on several other African American pool party attendants.
Warning: Video contains explicit language and graphic content that may be offensive to some viewers.
Needless to say, the video has sparked outrage among local citizens and social media users who have viewed the clip. Almost immediately, the video went viral and caused a media firestorm. The video now has over 9 million views and the aftermath continues to brew.
Casebolt’s questionable actions have also reignited the ongoing debate about police brutality, the use of excessive force, and the racial profiling issues that continue to plague the country.
According to the Washington Post, protests have also been organized amid the chaos as a number of conflicting accounts of the debacle have surfaced. However, the incident is still being investigated. McKinney, Texas Mayor Brian Loughmiller released a statement about the incident and the pending investigation during a brief press conference following the announcement of Casebolt’s resignation. He has made it clear that “the incident is not indicative of McKinney. The actions of one individual do not represent those of others.”
No further details have been released and it is unclear whether or not Casebolt will face charges for the incident. Eric Casebolt has yet to make another public statement. It has also been reported that all of his social media accounts have been closed.
[Image via YouTube Screen Capture]
