Chicago cop stripped of police powers after viral video shows him punching suspect

Image from video that apparently shows Lorenzo Williams Jr. being arrested by Chicago police. Provided. Screen shot from Chicago Sun-Times article, taken August 4, 2024.

The Chicago Sun-Times & FOX 32 are reporting that a Chicago police officer has been stripped of his police powers after he was seen in a viral video punching a suspect.

According to the Sun-Times article, the video was recorded Tuesday in River North. It appears to show the officer striking Lorenzo Williams Jr. three times with a closed fist, while two other officers grab Williams' hair and struggle with him on the ground.

At one point in the video, the officer aims a gun at Williams' face and threatens to shoot him.

According to the Sun-Times, the officer involved has been the subject of use-of-force complaints in the past. He was also involved in the wrongful raid of the home of social worker Anjanette Young.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) said it has opened an investigation.

YouTube Video of the Arrest