Video shows Smithfield officer punching Amazon worker, Johnston County prosecutor investigates: :: WRAL.com

A video circulating online that appears to show a Smithfield police officer beating a man outside an Amazon facility is being investigated by the Johnston County District Attorney’s Office.

The three-minute video was recorded at Amazon’s Smithfield facility around 2:30 a.m. on Friday, October 18. The person who recorded the video said the man who was struck, identified by police as Terrence Ellis, 35, was an Amazon employee.

Arrest records show Ellis was charged Oct. 18 with felony counts of fleeing to elude arrest, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, driving while license revoked for driving under the influence, resisting an officer and driving while impaired Condition.

An affidavit for Ellis’ impounded vehicle states that before the incident, he failed to stop for a police officer on U.S. Highway 70 and “fled to the front of the Amazon building.”

It also states that Ellis’ eyes were red and bloodshot and that he didn’t understand when the officer stopped him.

In the video, large crowds gather outside the Amazon facility and watch the officer beat the man. You hear people swearing.

The man on the ground screams, “I didn’t do anything, man. I’m trying to go to work… oh my god!”

At one point the police officer can be heard saying: “If they hit a police officer in the face, they’ll get a retaliation… he grabbed me by the neck first.”

The officer had injuries to his left ear and a broken upper lip, according to arrest warrants.

According to Smithfield police, Ellis was examined by emergency medical services but refused treatment.

Ellis was jailed on $15,000 bond. He was released on October 20.

An Amazon spokesperson released the following statement:

“Smithfield Police stopped an Amazon employee in the parking lot of our facility as he arrived to report for work. The reason for the encounter with police has nothing to do with Amazon and no other employees were involved.”

Johnston County District Attorney Susan Doyle told WRAL News she has requested dashcam video from the Smithfield police chief and any surveillance video from Amazon.

Smithfield Police released the following statement:

“The Smithfield Police Department…has policies in place that ensure complete review of arrest and use of force. The District Attorney will be presented with all evidence related to this case, including the officers in the dash camera that captured the entire case.” We ask that citizens allow the legal system to investigate this incident and not rely on partial videos on social media leave.