Web Explodes After Cop Who Pepper Sprayed Black Military Lieutenant Lastly Fired: ‘He Ought to Be Indicted’

Joe Gutierrez, the Windsor, Virginia police officer who sprayed pepper spray on a Black and Latino Army officer has been fired, but apparently only in response to growing national outrage after a video showing the “illegal traffic disruption” and attack shows had gone viral. According to CBS News, two officers held Lieutenant Caron Nazario “at gunpoint, handcuffed him, and doused him with pepper spray.”

Virginia police arrested a lieutenant in the Black Latino Army at gunpoint, handcuffed him, and doused him with pepper spray – all during an illegal traffic obstruction.

One of the officers has been fired and an investigation is ongoing. https://t.co/iAXVxjxNed pic.twitter.com/XXBXB8tY0l

– CBS News (@CBSNews) April 12, 2021

Many Americans were outraged by the incident, but it is yet another example of people of color being attacked by the nation’s police officers who are supposed to “serve and protect”. In this case, not only was the victim innocent of misconduct, he is also a medic in the U.S. Forces.

And they wonder why it took more than four months – the incident happened on December 5th – and it was only after the video went viral that police officials took appropriate action.

NAACP Legal Protection and Education Fund President Sherrilyn Ifill summed up what many said:

A reminder that this grotesque incident happened in December. An internal investigation then revealed that the department’s guidelines were not being followed. But that offer was only triggered now after the video went viral. We need the independent investigation to pull the thread in this department. Https://t.co/gbdaS8vraw

– Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) April 12, 2021

The City of Windsor released a statement on Sunday calling the incident “unfortunate”.

“The pursuit and the final stop resulted in Officer Gutierrez using pepper spray against Lt. Nazario,” it also says. It is alleged that an internal investigation “began immediately” and “it was found that Windsor Police Department guidelines were not being followed”.

“This resulted in disciplinary action, and department-wide requirements for additional training began in January that continue to this day. Since then, Officer Gutierrez has also been fired from his job. “

Well. Apparently, if a video had not been released, it would have been ignored. It happened four months ago. The officer should then have been fired. https://t.co/GF94Tm6Qqg

– VoteVets (@votevets) April 12, 2021

🙋‍♂️Rais your hand if you think the Virginia policeman carrying the pepper sprayed Black Army officer Lt. Nazario who fired is not enough. He should be charged.

– Steve Herzfeld @ (@ american2084) April 12, 2021

It is important to note that this officer was fired after the bodycam video was released on the civil complaint, not after the traffic obstruction that happened back in December. Https://t.co/edNdFcPhGt

– Kellymcb (@kellymcb) April 12, 2021

A police officer was fired for public backlash, not because the police wanted to do the right thing – and this is usually the case with disciplinary action. Cops are taught to protect their own, not us. We need to redefine community security #DefundThePolice https://t.co/DpFkeg8vMH

– Salem Snow (@ Salem4Congress) April 12, 2021

He was not fired because those responsible saw the video. He was fired because people in this country saw the video.

– Irishrygirl (@irishrygirl) April 12, 2021

Let’s make it clear that he got fired because there was a video that went viral. He got caught. You got caught. Imagine the number of times it happened without videos going viral to fight back. https://t.co/GxJC6EdHyE

– Catalina Cruz, Esq. (@CatalinaCruzNY) April 12, 2021

Officer Joe Gutierrez was released.

Gutierrez was not released after brutally assaulting Lieutenant Nazario on December 5, 2020.

He was fired after the video of the attack went viral. https://t.co/HMr0VZqDV9

– Latin vote (@votolatino) April 12, 2021