AUSTIN, Texas — A video showing a Round Rock police officer slamming a student onto the ground has spread on social media, with some saying the officer went too far.
The incident, which happened immediately after dismissal Friday afternoon at Cedar Ridge High School, has spurred two investigations.
In the video, you can see the officer place his arm around the student's neck before he knocks her to the ground and places her in restraints.
But a second video shared on social media shows what happened reportedly just moments before the student's interaction with the police officer.
That video appears to show the same student walking onto a school bus and attacking another student before being restrained by an assistant principal.
The principal of Cedar Ridge HS sent parents the following statement Sunday night:
"You may have seen news coverage or social media posts over the weekend related to an incident that occurred on campus late Friday afternoon, immediately after dismissal. I wanted to provide you with more detail and to let you know I am available if you have additional questions or concerns.
A cell phone video captured a scene of a School Resource Officer restraining a student and placing the student on the ground. The video has been shared on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. What happened just before this incident, as a video taken on one of our buses has shown as well as witnessed by one of our assistant principals, is what appears to be the same student assaulting another female student on the bus. Law enforcement were notified and arrived on scene. My administrative team, along with District leaders, is working with Round Rock Police to fully review the situation, what led up to it, and how it was handled.
The safety of our students and staff, as well as the emotional wellbeing of our students, is of paramount importance to us. We strive to create a campus environment where students feel safe and protected at all times and appreciate our partnership with law enforcement who help us accomplish this goal."
A spokesperson with the Round Rock Police Department sent KVUE the following statement:
"On Friday, March 8, a School Resource Officer responded to a reported, unprovoked attack of a female student at Cedar Ridge High School. Upon arriving on scene, the officer took the alleged aggressor into custody. Two separate videos related to the incident were brought to Round Rock Police Department attention the same day. The Department is gathering additional video footage and conducting an internal investigation into the officer’s response to the incident as well as an investigation into the initial, alleged attack."
Both the district and the police department are conducting investigations. The officer involved in the incident has been removed from the school while the police department conducts its investigation.