Shocking video shows Charlotte, NC, cops PUNCHING woman on the ground – as police defend officers and say she punched one in the face and man she was with was armed with a gun

A shocking video shows the moment North Carolina police repeatedly punched a woman while pinning her to the ground — but officials have defended police, saying their use of force was necessary.

Bystanders shouted “what the f***” as a group of three or four officers surrounded Bojangles employee Christina Pierre in southwest Charlotte around 2 p.m. Monday. Video shows one of the officers pounding her as she lays on the ground.

Officials with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said the altercation began when police approached Pierre and her colleague, Anthony Nathaniel Lee, while they were smoking marijuana at South Tryon Street and Arrowood Road near the Bojangles restaurant where they both worked.

Pierre punched an officer in the face when they tried to arrest her, while Lee was armed with a 9mm handgun, according to the department.

CMPD said Pierre “began to put his hands on her and not allow officers to arrest her” — so an officer began punching her thigh and repeatedly yelling at her to “stop resisting.”

The officer struck Pierre using a trained technique in an attempt to gain her cooperation, police said, although the incident is under internal investigation.

Authorities say Pierre was kneeled and then punched 10 times by the officer to get her to stop resisting arrest.

“These are tense situations that have the potential to escalate quickly,” CMPD said in a statement.

“The use of force by police is never easy to watch. Officers are trained to attack large muscle groups to gain compliance during an arrest.”

Photos show Pierre suffered severe bruising to the left side of her face during the incident.

Pierre has been charged with assault on a government official, resisting arrest and possession of marijuana.

Meanwhile, Lee was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, resisting arrest and possession of marijuana.

CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings said unreleased body camera footage of the shocking incident provides more context to what happened than the video shared on social media. The force said it is working with the judiciary to facilitate its publication.

The body camera footage has not yet been released, although there have been growing calls for the footage to be made public W.S.O.C.

Pierre’s attorney agreed, telling the outlet that the body camera footage will provide more context.

“I am confident this is the case given that the cell phone footage we have all seen on social media only shows what happened after she was restrained by multiple officers,” attorney Lauren Newton said.

Residents in the area say the video on social media was shocking to watch.

“It doesn’t really matter, unless someone pulls out a gun and points it at you, you shouldn’t hit anyone,” said local man Abdul Evans. WSOC TV.

‘It took seventeen punches to make her complain. I think that’s insane,” activist Kass Ottley told the broadcaster.

“The use of force is not appropriate to the situation and the aim is to de-escalate the situation,” she added.

“Like many other Charlotte residents, we were shocked and saddened by the video of an incident between Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police and a Bojangles employee,” the fast-food chain said.

“While we await more details about what led to the incident, we intend to cooperate fully with any investigation.

“We can confirm that the person in the video and her partner had recently left their shifts at Bojangles and left the premises.

“They both remain employed by Bojangles at this time.”