A 21-year-old suspect was arrested after he allegedly tried to escape from officers and threatened them with two weapons, according to the Fontana Police Department.
The suspect, later identified as James Colangelo, faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a stolen vehicle and possession of narcotics.
A video taken by a citizen captured the final seconds of the incident, showing the suspect being beaten and kicked by an officer. The video was uploaded onto the websites of Los Angeles television news stations and also was uploaded onto the Fontana Police Department Facebook page by William Dominguez, who stated that he thought the arrest depicted "too much force."
Fontana Police Chief Rodney Jones said in a statement that he had seen the brief video of the officers taking the suspect into custody.
"The officers' reports properly documented the use of force captured on the video," Jones said. "As with any use of force, we review it at several levels. At this point with the available information, it appears the officers' actions were consistent with department policy. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the Fontana Police Department. "
The incident took place on Aug. 6 at about 4:31 p.m., when Fontana P.D. undercover officers were conducting surveillance on a stolen vehicle in the 9100 block of Pepper Avenue. The suspect sped into an apartment complex and nearly collided with a block wall, police said.