METAIRIE – The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating the arrest of a 20-year-old man on the Metairie parade route after a video posted on Twitter shows an officer swatting a cell phone from his hand before several others slam the man to the ground.
The video, which contains adult language, shows 20-year-old Jacobi Cage apparently filming a JPSO deputy with a cell phone after the Krewe of Centurions parade around 9 p.m. on March 1.
As the deputy that Cage is filming says something to Cage, another deputy can be seen swatting the cell phone from Cage’s hands before making an obscene gesture in Cage’s face and walking away.
Cage then returns the obscene gesture with both of his hands toward the back of the retreating deputy who had just swatted the cell phone out of his hands.
Several other deputies can then be seen converging on Cage, physically grabbing him, pulling him over an orange barricade into the street, and slamming him to the ground.
One officer can be seen holding a Taser at the ready as he stands in front of the officers struggling with Cage on the ground.
Cage was arrested and charged with disturbing the peace, resisting an officer, and battery on a police officer, according to the JPSO.
The officers were in the area in response to reports of 15 to 20 men fighting in the Lakeside Shopping Center parking lot, leading to one arrest.
Cage’s arrest and the video posted to Twitter of his arrest are both under review, according to the JPSO.
“We are aware of the posted video and are investigating it,” Captain Jason Rivarde said. “If violations of law or policy are determined to have occurred, we will enforce appropriate disciplinary measures.”
Warning: the video contains adult language that may be offensive to some: