WARNING: linked video contains expletives.
A video that appears to have been recorded by inmates at a Florida prison shows at least five correctional officers huddled over a prisoner taking turns punching him as hard as they can.
The video, uploaded to Youtube on Saturday afternoon by a user named “Sir Trap,” appears to have been taken on a contraband cell phone by inmates who said it was recorded on July 8 at Lake Correctional Institution in Clermont, about 30 minutes west of Orlando. It prompted an immediate investigation by the Florida Department of Corrections.
The footage lasts for about five minutes, with the inmate being beaten by several officers for nearly the entire duration. The inmates narrating the recording said the beating had been going on for five minutes before the video started.
About four minutes in, officers can be seen shouting at the dorm where the video was being recorded through an open window.
“They’re trying to get the witnesses from watching what’s going on,” one of the men recording the video said. “They don’t know they’re being recorded. This is why we’re in fear for our life.”
The YouTube video drew a quick response from Department of Corrections Secretary Mark Inch, who described it as “deeply disturbing.”
“We have zero tolerance for officer abuse or misconduct for any reason,” Inch said in a statement emailed to the Times-Union. “The actions of these individuals will not be tolerated.”
Inch said the department’s Office of Inspector General has launched an “immediate investigation” and said all officers identified would be placed on no-inmate-contact status while the investigation is conducted. He said the inmate who was beaten will be relocated to another facility.
“Those found participating in any level of abuse, or failing to properly report abuse, will be subject to administrative and criminal charges,” Inch said.
Rumors of the video’s existence began to circulate on social media on Friday. It surfaced on Saturday, hours after it was uploaded to YouTube.
