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An LPD officer responded around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday to a Walmart parking lot near Pendleton Pike after observing a white Ford Explorer, which was being operated by William Jerome Armstrong, parked in the emergency fire lane.
According to previous reports, Lawrence police were filmed punching Armstrong as the altercation turned increasingly aggressive. The video turned viral, amassing over 100,000 views on Facebook.
FOX59/CBS4 has confirmed that William Armstrong was released from the Marion County Jail without charges on Thursday.
Court documents stated that Armstrong “aggressively” approached an LPD officer after he pulled behind the parked white Ford Explorer. Officers claimed Armstrong approached with his hands “balled up into a fist.”
Police on scene ordered Armstrong to stay outside his vehicle, writing that they feared Armstrong might try to grab a gun inside the Explorer. LPD later said officers did locate a black AR-style rifle in the rear passenger seat of the vehicle, though it wasn’t known to be inside the Explorer when the incident began.
Court documents claimed that Armstrong allegedly refused to turn around and put his hands behind his back as he was “fighting and resisting.”
Police accused Armstrong of punching two officers in the face and throwing one of the officers to the ground.
What the bodycam footage shows
The bodycam footage begins by showing Officer Roberto Santiago as he pulls his fully marked police vehicle behind Armstrong’s white Ford Explorer.
Armstrong can be seen in the footage standing by the side of the Ford Explorer. However, no “balled-up fists” can be seen.
“Stop walking up on me, matter of fact,” Santiago said.
“Bro, what you mean, ‘Walking up on you,’ bro?” Armstrong replied.
Santiago can then be heard directing Armstrong to stand on the side of the white Ford Explorer as he entered his squad vehicle to call for backup. At this moment, a second officer arrived, who court documents identified as Morgan Lowe, and began speaking with Armstrong.
Santiago then exited his vehicle and the two began speaking. Their entire dialogue can be viewed below:
“You trying to start this s*** but it’s cool, bro. Look, whenever you have your uniform off, holler at me then,” Armstrong said.
“Is that a threat?” Santiago asked. “Say that one more time.”
The video shows that Armstrong did not move toward either of the officers as he remained at the side of his Ford Explorer.
“Why don’t you want to repeat yourself? You scared?” Santiago asked again.
“Who am I scared of? I ain’t scared of nobody out here,” Armstrong said. “Man, let me chill out.”
“Check yourself,” Santiago said.
“For who?”
“For yourself, because I am about to f*** your night up,” Santiago said. “I don’t know who you think I am. I am that motherf***er that will f*** your night up.”
Santiago then approached Armstrong while telling him to turn around to place his hands in handcuffs.
“I ain’t turning around,” Armstrong responded.
A brawl soon followed between Armstrong, Santiago and Lowe as the officers struggled to apprehend Armstrong. The footage shows Santiao and Lowe wrestle Armstrong to the ground. Officer Lowe proceeded to deliver two kicks to Armstrong as he was on the ground still struggling to break away.
Lowe also attempts to use a stun gun on Armstrong at one point during the struggle.
At this moment, Armstrong’s sister approached as she exited the Walmart with a shopping cart.
Santiago can then be seen appearing to throw at least 10 punches. During this time, a third unidentified officer can be seen holding Armstrong’s sister back. Santiago and Lowe managed to place Armstrong in handcuffs and he can be seen remonstrating with them.
The bodycam footage shows the officers sifting through Armstrong’s personal belongings while asking him to identify himself.
“F*** you, b****,” Armstrong said. “I’ll beat your a**.”
“You wish, you wish. Where you at?” Santiago remarked.
Lowe can also be heard speaking with Armstrong.
“You wanna punch me, you stupid a** b****?”
“He hit me first so I hit him back,” Armstrong said when asked why he threw punches.
“I swear to god bro, I am going to kill you,” Armstrong continued while looking at Santiago.
An EMS crew on the scene checked on Armstrong’s injuries before he was transported to the Marion County CJC.
The dashcam footage showing the brawl between officers and Armstrong can be viewed below:
Aftermath
Following the incident, FOX59/CBS4 spoke with several members of Armstrong’s family, including his sister Anayzja Mason.
Anayzja told FOX59/CBS4 that her brother did threaten cops after the incident but maintained that the incident should have never escalated to the point that it did.
Shanee Mason, Armstrong’s mother, also shared her thoughts on the incident.
“Regardless of what was wrong and what was right, protocol was to give him a ticket or tow the car, not to take your fist and hit him in the face,” Shanee said. “I’m sorry, as a community we need to come together. We have got to do something because this has got to stop.”
FOX59/CSB4 also heard from anonymous witnesses, with one describing the altercation involving Armstrong and the police as “very aggressive.”
The Lawrence Police Department said the incident would be investigated to ensure that it complied with the department’s protocols. LPD’s full statement can be viewed below:
“In our ongoing commitment to transparency, the City of Lawrence Police Department is releasing body-worn and in-car camera footage related to this incident. While we recognize that some of the content in these videos may be difficult to watch, we believe that providing this footage allows for a clearer understanding of the events as they unfolded.
It is important to note that video evidence is only one part of the investigation. The department will continue to gather all relevant information, including witness statements, officer reports, and other evidence, to ensure a full and fair review of the incident.
We acknowledge that the footage may lead to varying interpretations based on individual perspectives and experiences. However, we urge the public to allow the investigative process to be completed before forming final conclusions. Our priority remains ensuring a just and thorough review while maintaining trust and unity within the community.
We remain dedicated to treating both officers and community members fairly and holding all individuals accountable to the highest standards of justice and professionalism.”
The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office also shared the following statement with FOX59/CBS4 Thursday night:
“The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office has not filed charges related to this matter at this time.
We are awaiting the full investigative report from the Lawrence Police Department that includes what led up to the incident as well as its investigation into the officers’ conduct prior to making a charging determination.
The investigation is ongoing.”
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