YORK, PA - A video of York City police officers arresting a man is circulating on social media. According to authorities, York City police officers were arresting Donevyn Eaton on an outstanding warrant.
"As the individual was being taken into custody, he actively resisted our officers. An internal review was conducted, and it does not appear that officer(s) violated any department policy," said York City Police Chief Daniel Lentz.
Eaton has been charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, evading arrest or detention, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, disorderly conduct and harassment following the incident, WGAL reported.
The video that is circulating on social media prompted a response from the police department. Eaton was taken into custody outside his sister's home. The arrest was captured on doorbell video. "Next thing I know, a cop wound up and said I had a warrant and grabbed a hold of me. And before I could even react or anything, he, like, charged me and threw me to the ground. And we just started tussling right here," Eaton said.
Eaton said he was not initially told why he was being arrested. "When I asked what the war was for, he wasn't telling me until after he got me in cuffs and placed in the back of the cop car," Eaton said.
Captain Lentz said the body camera footage showed Eaton was told why he was being arrested in the breezeway. "You can't see any of that interaction on the doorbell. But it's in that moment," said Lentz. "I know everybody's like, Donny wanted to know what the warrant was for. Well, that he told him them in the breezeway there and it's all on the body camera. So he was informed."
Eaton's sister said she feels the situation should have been handled differently. "It was just crazy to me, like, to watch what he went through and then to talk to my neighbor, who witnessed it," said Eaton's sister, Aryza. "Somebody could have said something. You know, instead of coming up and basically attacking him and doing all that, that was not necessary. Like, I know they have a job to do, but I know my brother. He would have went with them," she said.
Captain Lentz explained that the department reviews body camera footage whenever there is use of force. "I can tell you that after reviewing not only the initial officer's camera, but all the other body cameras over there, that the officers acted within our department's policy," Lentz said.
Court documents also state that Eaton allegedly bit one officer and tried to bite another.
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