Yakima officer under investigation for kicking teen at fair



YAKMA, Wash. (AP) —Yakima Police say an officer who used pepper spray on a teen and knocked him down while breaking up a fight has been placed on desk duty pending an investigation.

The Yakima Herald-Republic reports that Officer Ian Cole kicked the 17-year-old boy in the backside at the Central Washington State Fair Sunday. A bystander captured the incident on video on posted it on Facebook.

Interim Chief Gary Jones says the department in investigating whether the officer's actions were justified.

But the lawyer representing the teen, Bill Pickett, questions whether the department can conduct a fair investigation.

Pickett says the teen was attacked by a group of youths and tried to protect himself.

Police say four of the 15 people involved in the fight were arrested for investigation of fighting, a misdemeanor.