Activists: Sherman officer used excessive force to break up school fight

SHERMAN, Texas - Activists in Dallas are demanding that a police officer in Sherman face punishment for slamming a high school student to the ground while trying to break up a fight.

Video of the incident shows Officer Kevin Garbacik taking down 15-year-old Shatayvian Nelson at Sherman High School.

Nelson was one of two girls fighting on campus. The 17-second clip also shows a teacher trying to break them apart just before the officer rushes up to help.

According to Rev. Ronald Wright with Justice Seekers Texas, Nelson ended up with a severe head concussion. However, he said no one from the school contacted her mother or took her to the hospital.

Her family will be at a press conference in Dallas Thursday with the Justice Seekers Texas, the Coalition of Black Parents and Mothers Against Police Brutality. They want the school and the officer to answer for what happened.

“Why did he use excessive force? She is just 15 and 129 pounds,” Tiffany Bowen, the student’s mother told KXII. “He grabbed her and could have walked her off.”

It’s not clear what prompted the fight, but Wright insists Nelson was the victim of a bully.

Sherman police said they are investigating the incident. They also encouraged people not to rush to judgement based on a short video and misinformation circulating on the internet.

Officer Garbacik’s duties have not changed.