An investigation has been launched in response to a video taken during Pittsburgh's PrideFest that shows a police officer punching and using physical force on a teenage girl. As reported by Pittsburgh's Channel 11 News, 19-year-old PrideFest attendee Ariel Lawther was seen arguing with an anti-gay protestor named Eric Moore who was preaching against equality for LGBT people during Sunday's festivities. Officer Souroth Chatterji went to break up the fight, and according to a criminal complaint he "pulled the woman out and grabbed her hair and punched her in the stomach a few times."
Ariel Lawther was arrested and released on $5,000 bail. Now the girl and her family are taking the incident to a lawyer. Pittsburgh's Mayor Bill Peduto called for a thorough investigation to determine if excessive force was used. In the meantime, the officer has been placed on desk duty.
Watch the full video here and read more at WPXI.