Texas police officer reassigned after pepper spraying motorcyclists

FORT WORTH, Texas, March 15 (UPI) -- A Texas police department said an officer was removed from patrol duties after a viral video showed him discharging pepper spray toward motorcyclists.

A video posted to YouTube and Facebook by motorcyclist Chase Stone shows a Fort Worth police officer conducting a traffic stop on a red pickup truck Sunday afternoon and discharging what appears to be pepper spray toward a group of passing motorcyclists.

Police spokeswoman Cpl. Tracey Knight confirmed Monday that Officer W. Figeuroa used pepper spray on the passing motorcyclists and documented the incident in a report.

Knight did not disclose the reason Figeuroa gave for discharging his pepper spray.

Figeuroa has been placed on administrative duties pending the outcome of an investigation, the department said.

A spokesman for ambulance service Medstar said five people were treated at the scene for pepper spray exposure, and one man was hospitalized with minor injuries.