COLUMBIA, S.C., Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Federal authorities have opened a civil rights investigation into the manhandling and arrest of a South Carolina high school girl by a resource officer -- video of which has sparked anger nationwide.
The incident happened at Spring Valley High School in Columbia on Monday. As other students in a math class captured the confrontation with their cellphones, Deputy Ben Fields ordered the girl out of her seat. When she refused, the deputy wrapped his forearm around her neck and pulled her backwards -- flipping her over in her chair.
Fields is then seen dragging the girl to the front of the classroom, pinning her to the floor and handcuffing her. Another girl who protested Fields' treatment was also arrested. Both were later released to their parents.
It remains unclear exactly what led to the physical confrontation, but WLTX-TV reported that students said it started when the teacher attempted to confiscate a cellphone the teen girl had used in the classroom. When she refused to hand the phone over, the resource officer was called.
Federal authorities got involved in the case Tuesday, as the Department of Justice opened a civil rights inquiry.
"The Columbia FBI Field Office, the Civil Rights Division, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina have opened a civil rights investigation into the circumstances surrounding the arrest of a student at Spring Valley High School," FBI Special Agent in Charge David A. Thomas said in a statement Tuesday. "The FBI will collect all available facts and evidence in order to determine whether a federal law was violated. As this is an ongoing investigation, per Department of Justice policy we are unable to comment further at this time."
Fields was placed on leave as the Richland County Sheriff's Office investigated.
Sheriff Leon Lott, who requested the assistance of the Justice Department, the FBI and U.S. Attorney for South Carolina William Nettles, said the video footage is troubling.
"It's very disturbing what happened. It's something I have to deal with and that's what we're going to be doing," he said.
"I hope the community will remain calm so that we can conduct a thorough and thoughtful investigation," Nettles told The State newspaper Tuesday afternoon. "At the conclusion of that investigation, we'll be happy to discuss our findings with the community."
The NAACP and Rev. Jesse Jackson have condemned the actions of the sheriff's deputy, who is white, against a teenage girl, who is black. Jackson called for Fields to be fired, arrested and charged himself -- and said the incident is a "national disgrace."
Parents of students at the school are outraged by the incident, calling it "egregious" and "unacceptable." The school district's Black Parents Association issued a statement saying, "this is just another example of the intolerance that continues to be of issue in Richland School District Two -- particularly with families and children of color."
Richland School District Superintendent Dr. Debbie Hamm said she also is troubled by the incident.
"Student safety is and always will be the district's top priority," she told WLTX-TV. "The district will not tolerate any actions that jeopardize the safety of our students."
"As the parent of a daughter in Richland School District Two I can assure you that we are taking this matter very seriously," added district Board Chairman Jim Manning. "The district has banned the deputy in question from all District Two property."
Several videos of the incident, from several angles, have emerged on social media, sparking further outrage.
"I had never seen nothing like that in my life, a man use that much force on a little girl. A big man, like 300 pounds of full muscle. I was like 'no way, no way,'" said Niya Kenny, 18, who was the other girl arrested by Fields for verbally protesting. "You can't do nothing like that to a little girl."
"I've never seen anything so nasty looking, so sick to the point that, you know, other students are turning away, don't know what to do, and are just scared for their lives," Tony Robinson Jr., who captured the incident with his cellphone, said. "That's supposed to be somebody that's going to protect us. Not somebody that we need to be scared of."
Fields has previously been sued during his 11-year tenure with the sheriff's office. The first lawsuit, in 2007, alleged false arrest and excessive use of force, naming Fields, another deputy and Lott. The jury ultimately ruled in favor of the sheriff's office.
Fields is presently involved in another lawsuit, along with nine others, which is scheduled to go to trial in January. This suit, brought by a former student who was expelled from Spring Valley High School in 2013, accuses the defendants of negligence, negligent supervision and a violation of the right to public education.
Last year, though, Fields was given an award for his work as a resource officer at a Columbia elementary school.
"[Fields] has proven to be an exceptional role model to the students he serves and protects," a sheriff's office newsletter said at the time.
