Two members of the Los Angeles Police Department have been pulled from active service amid claims of excessive force used during the arrest of 28-year-old Alexander Donta Mitchell, a Black man, in the Watts area of Los Angeles.
According to a legal complaint filed by Mitchell, the incident happened near 113th Street and Graham Avenue, where he was reportedly waiting for a friend. He was inside a car said to be improperly parked and facing the wrong direction when officers approached and instructed him to step out. Mitchell complied without incident.
After conducting a body search, tensions rose when officers attempted to arrest Mitchell for what they claimed was resisting. Witness accounts and the lawsuit allege that Mitchell questioned the arrest, asking, “What did I do?” moments before one of the officers struck him in the face while he was already in cuffs.
Mitchell, restrained and non-threatening at the time, was taken to a medical facility due to difficulty breathing. Doctors later confirmed he had sustained a fractured nose and a dislocated jaw.
LAPD has acknowledged that the two officers involved have been taken off patrol while an internal review is underway. Although bodycam footage has yet to be made public, the department stated that it treats all misconduct claims with seriousness.
“This was a savage and unwarranted attack,” Mitchell’s attorney stated during a media briefing. “He followed every directive. What he received in return was violence—not justice.”
The lawsuit demands compensation for both physical injuries and emotional suffering, alleging violations of Mitchell’s civil rights. Community leaders and activists are urging for full disclosure and accountability, calling it yet another case of racially motivated policing.
