A Glendale Police Officer Was Charged With Assault After a Teen Was Seen Kicking Him in the Face

Police in Glendale were caught on tape kicking a child in the face while he was being held down in the Galleria mall. On Monday, prosecutors charged the officer with assault.

The crime happened in June 2021 when police were called to Dick’s Sporting Goods to investigate a report of shoplifting. Gonzalo Zendejas, 39, was charged with one count of assault under cover of authority.

A video of the arrest, which CBS first released, shows several police officers hitting and wrestling with the boy while he is being held down. The only cop charged was Zendejas, who can be seen kicking the child in the face while he was on the ground. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office did not reply right away to a request for comment about the other officers who helped with the arrest or the teen who was hit.

Dist. Atty. George Gascón said, “Police officers have a very hard and demanding job because they have to protect our communities. However, this duty does not justify actions that put other people in danger or hurt public trust.” “What happened is a serious breach of the duty to serve with honor and integrity.”

A spokesman for the Glendale police, Sgt. Vahe Abramyan said that Zendejas has been on administrative leave since the event. Abramyan said that the three other cops who helped with the arrest have since gone back to work.

If Zendejas is found guilty as charged, he could spend up to three years in jail. He has not yet shown up in court. It wasn’t clear right away who his lawyer was.