"It was one against so many": Community reacts to violent arrest of man near 51st and Capitol
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) - A Milwaukee neighborhood brought their voices to the streets Friday.
They protested a violent arrest by Milwaukee police that was caught on tape.
Dozens of Demetrius Lowe’s family and friends gathered here near 51st and Capitol.
That’s where Lowe was caught on video attacking police before he was tackled and beaten during an arrest.
The community says police went too far and they’ve had enough.
“They took it upon themselves to beat him, some after he was already down, some of them joined in and we want their badges,” said one family member.
Demetrius is seen hitting officers before he is tackled, but his family says he had mental health issues at the time and police escalated the situation.
“Those officers are supposed to be trained,” said Tory Lowe.
Lowe says police should be trained to recognize someone who has mental health problems so things like this don’t happen.
“The City of Milwaukee needs to comply with CIT training, I see them on TV saying what they’re supposed to say, but tomorrow it will be someone else,” he said.
“We’re no longer going to lay down and let police kill us,” said Shanikqua Stokes, a cousin of Demetrius.
The family says just suspending the officers is not enough.
“I’m hoping for every last one of those 20 cops on top of him, hitting him, to be fired,” she said.
The Lowe family says Demetrius underwent surgery Friday.