Police Officer’s Viral Baton Beating of Man at McDonald’s Results in Department Investigation

Viral video of a police officer’s seemingly brutal baton beating of a man outside a California McDonald’s has resulted in a departmental investigation into the officer's use of force. 

McFarland Police Chief Brian Knox confirmed the incident involving one of his officers over the weekend is being reviewed.

“We conduct internal investigations on all of our use of force incidents,” Knox told The Messenger in a statement. 

On Sunday, McFarland police were called out to assist local law enforcement during an alleged street takeover in a Delano, California, Walmart parking lot.

Some of the 300–400 attendees were accused of vandalizing responding officers’ vehicles, before moving the street takeover about 10 minutes away to the city of McFarland, California, a news release read.

Police said they were then called out to a physical altercation allegedly involving several people from the takeover, including 21-year-old Francisco Joaquin, at a McFarland area McDonald’s. 

Police accused Joaquin of resisting arrest outside the restaurant. 

During the arrest attempt, cell phone video captured by bystanders — and which has since been viewed millions of times — appeared to show officers wrestling Joaquin to the ground, while one cop appeared to beat him repeatedly with a police baton. At the same time, a pair of officers pointed weapons at Joaquin while he lay on the ground, with some yelling at him to “stop resisting,” according to the video. 

Joaquin — identified by police as an alleged Fresno gang member — was subsequently taken into custody and charged with possession of a firearm by a felon and obstruction of a police officer, in addition to a slew of other charges, jail records indicate.

He has a court appearance scheduled for Dec. 7. 

The incident and the officer’s use of force remain under investigation.