An arrest made by police in Anne Arundel County, Maryland is receiving viral attention after images show officers attempting to force a Black man out of a car.
Antoine Lee Wedington, 23, of Brooklyn, Maryland, was arrested in the area of Shady Side Road and Deale Churchton Road in Deale on Monday, Oct. 19.
The video, shot by Wedington’s girlfriend, shows him sitting in the passenger’s seat, asking officers why the vehicle was pulled over and why, as the passenger, he must show officers his identification during a traffic violation.
@heatherjanney♬ original sound — Heather Janney
It was one in a series of three videos posted online of the incident.
Police only responded to the first question, stating the driver was going 45 mph in a 30 mph speed zone.
As Wedington continued to address the recording, officers began attempting to remove him out of the car by grabbing his legs and shirt. Wedington, trying to stay in his seat, asked why the officers were not giving him a chance to get out of the car.
“You had multiple chances,” one of the officers said.
The video ends with Wedington receiving a kiss from his girlfriend and asking the officers to stop pulling him out as he held onto the car. His arrest, released on the video platform TikTok, has been seen over 19 million times.
“I am a human being,” Wedington said.
The Anne Arundel County Police Department responded to the Monday incident with a statement on Saturday “to provide clarity to our community members and those who viewed the video.”
Police said they “obtained information” of Wedington’s identity during the traffic stop and learned he had two active arrest warrants on file.
Maryland Case Search information shows that two warrants were served after Wedington failed to appear in court.
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— Anne Arundel Police (@AACOPD) October 24, 2020
Police said officers told Wedington about the warrants and gave him “numerous verbal requests” to get out of the vehicle, police said.
After being asked multiple times to exit the car, officers physically removed him from the vehicle and placed him under arrest.
His girlfriend was given a ticket for the traffic violation and allowed to leave the scene.
Wedington was charged with “resisting (or) interfering with arrest” and transported to the Anne Arundel County Detention Center in Annapolis. He is being held without bond.
Police said Wedington did not issue a complaint of injury during and after the arrest.
A map of the area where the Oct. 19 arrest occurred is below.
