MCKINNEY, Texas (AP) – The affluent Dallas suburb of McKinney is among the nation’s fastest growing cities, its public schools are highly regarded and it has been ranked by one publication as America’s best place to live. But video that prompted a white McKinney police officer to resign amid scrutiny over how he treated a group of black teenagers at a pool party has raised concern about race in a city that only three years ago settled lengthy litigation alleging racial segregation in its public housing.
Officer Eric Casebolt, who is seen on video forcing a teenage girl to the ground and at one point pulling his firearm after two males rushed forward in apparent protest, resigned from the police force Tuesday. Chief Greg Conley called Casebolt’s actions “indefensible,” though he said the officer was not pressured to quit.
People who participated in a rally protesting the police response used the city’s name in the same sentence as Baltimore and Ferguson, Missouri – where use of force by police triggered widespread protests and violence.
“If kids act up there should be a police response,” Joseph Karoki said during a rally at a McKinney school this week. “But the response should reflect the action taking place.”
Police were responding to a pool party that drew dozens of teenagers on the last day of school. Witnesses said some teens jumped a fence to gain access to the community pool and clashed with neighborhood residents. Video posted online showed a white woman fighting with a black girl before they were pulled apart. Other video focuses on Casebolt as he detains black teens amid a chaotic scene.