The FBI is now taking a look into the arrest of a man who was kicked by a St. Paul police officer while he was lying on the ground.
The incident was recorded by a witness and uploaded to YouTube, which then sparked an internal investigation inside the St. Paul Police Department.
FBI investigators are working to determine whether 30-year-old Eric Hightower's civil rights were violated during the arrest.
Two St. Paul officers have been placed on paid leave while the internal investigation continues.
Hightower was charged with stalking, terroristic threats, and damaging property following the arrest.
The 5-minute video begins with Hightower laying on the ground, asking St. Paul Police Officer Jesse Zilge why he is being arrested. For the next 30 seconds, Hightower repeatedly asks what is going on.
"An assault on who? I don't have a warrant for my arrest," he told the officer.
Shortly thereafter, a voice behind the camera accuses the officer of using mace and a Taser on the Hightower without provocation.
"He just pulled up on us, jumped out the car and maced him," the man said.
After about a minute, Hightower starts coughing, presumably from the mace. That's when Zilge can be seen kicking Hightower before putting him in handcuffs.
Soon, another officer comes over to help, but a struggle begins as they are begin to walk Hightower to the squad, and Zilge is then seen punching Hightower in the head before throwing him over the hood of the car.
"I didn't do nothing wrong," Hightower protested.
From then on, Zilge kept holding Hightower by the hair, pulling his head back a few times before a swarm of officers arrived in the area before Hightower was put in the back seat of the marked squad car.
