A 71-year-old man in Oklahoma City suffered severe injuries after being slammed to the ground by a police officer during a dispute over a traffic ticket, resulting in felony assault charges against the officer. The incident took place in October and left the elderly man with a broken neck, a broken eye socket, and a brain bleed.
Officer Joseph Gibson responded to a minor accident involving the man, Lich Vu, on October 27. Body camera footage captured the altercation that ensued after Gibson informed Vu about issuing a ticket for an improper U-turn.
Despite Vu’s denial of making an improper U-turn, Gibson insisted on issuing a citation and asked Vu to sign a document agreeing to take care of it. When Vu refused to sign, Gibson threatened to take him to jail if he did not comply.
The situation escalated as Vu continued to dispute the ticket, leading to Gibson forcefully slamming him to the ground after Vu lightly slapped his chest and told him to shut up. Vu was left motionless on the pavement as Gibson handcuffed him.
Vu was hospitalized following the incident and is still receiving treatment for his injuries. Gibson has been charged with aggravated assault and battery in connection to the excessive use of force.
The Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office deemed Gibson’s actions as an unreasonable use of force and filed charges accordingly. Despite this, the Oklahoma City Fraternal Order of Police is supporting Gibson, stating that he acted professionally and followed proper protocol during the altercation.
