A police officer was caught on video throwing a man off a bridge in Brazil during a traffic stop in an incident that has sent shockwaves through the nation.
Footage of the encounter, which was leaked on social media, showed Military Police agent Luan Pereira, 29, holding Marcelo do Amaral, 25, by the shirt in São Paulo Monday after pulling him over for operating a motorcycle without license plates.
Pereira was then seen leading do Amaral to the side of the bridge, where he lifted up one of his legs and and then tossed him off the span while his fellow officers looked on.
Witnesses told Brazilian news outlet Metropoles that do Amaral landed in a stream below and was able to get out on his own and walk up a hill, where he was met by a friend and taken to a local hospital.
The man’s father said do Amaral was delivery worker, and witnesses said the motorcyclist questioned the officer about the traffic stop delaying his order.
An initial Military Police report indicated that the cops chased multiple motorcyclists until they reached the São Paulo neighborhood of Vila Clara, where a party was taking place.
While searching do Amaral, police said that the partygoers began to attack them with bottles and rocks.
A witness told Metropoles that do Amaral questioned Pereira about whether he was going to delay his delivery order and expressed concern that he would lose possession of his motorcycle.
Pereira and 12 other Military Police agents, who are assigned to a battalion in the town of Diadema, have been removed from duty as part of the investigation.
Do Amaral’s father, Antonio do Amaral, told Jornal Nacional newspaper that his son did not have a criminal record.
