San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies were caught on video kneeling on a man and hitting him in the head during an arrest, an incident that sparked public outrage and prompted authorities to place a deputy on leave and launch an internal investigation.
According to the Sheriff's Department, Hesperia Station deputies responded to a reported armed robbery in the 16000 block of Main Street on Sunday. They later identified Christian Cardenas Alonso, 36, of Adelanto, as a suspect in the case.
At 4:51 p.m. Tuesday, investigators located Alonso and arrested him at the intersection of Main Street and E Street. Authorities say they attempted to arrest Alonso, but he resisted and “a use of force occurred.”
In a bystander video posted on social media, four sheriff's deputies can be seen kneeling over a man lying on the gravel outside the car. At some point, a plainclothes officer kneed the man in the head several times.
Jesse Vega, a local car enthusiast and smog technician who took the video, happened to be photographing Alonso's car — a 1964 Chevrolet Impala — at the time.
“I've never seen someone's eyes turn black like that [his] “She got bruised that fast,” Vega said. “His jaw on his right side was very swollen, and his face looked like it was twisted.”
A deputy seen striking Alonso has been placed on administrative leave while the district attorney's office reviews the incident, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said in a statement.
The District Attorney's Office did not respond to a request for comment Friday.
After Alonso's arrest, authorities said, they found items belonging to the armed robbery victim in the trunk of his car. They then searched his business — Califa Style Tattoo Ink, also in the 16000 block of Main Street — at about 5:45 p.m. Tuesday. There, investigators said they found a firearm, ammunition and unspecified gang paraphernalia, and encountered individuals inside the tattoo shop who claimed to be gang members.
The Sheriff's Department also claimed in a statement that Alonso was an “active member of a criminal street gang.”
Jesus Basulto, a tattoo artist who works at Califa Style Tattoo Ink, said he was about to take his 13-year-old daughter playing miniature golf when deputies “came by surprise” and pointed a gun at his child while searching the business.
Basulto said there was “nothing gang-related” in his work and that he, Alonso and his colleagues were innocent.
“We're all here supporting our families,” a confused and upset Basulto said in a phone interview. “We want to do something positive.”
The store has been closed since Tuesday for fear of harassment by law enforcement, Basulto said. Deputies also allegedly turned off surveillance footage of the store entry and forged documents claiming he was carrying a firearm during his arrest.
The Sheriff's Department did not immediately respond to a phone call or email seeking comment on Basulto's allegations Friday evening.
Basulto said he and other friends of Alonso planned to protest at the Hesperia police station on Friday evening.
He added: “They must all be held accountable.”
Next door to the Califa Style Tattoo Ink store, Damian Rodriguez was the manager on duty at the Roll Over Beethoven music store when deputies arrived. Rodriguez has worked at the music store for nine years, and said Main Street is “not a safe place,” but that normal business has mostly resumed in their building.
Califa Style Tattoo Ink was a new tenant that opened two or three years ago and seemed to be doing well, Rodriguez said.
“Whenever they got flash deals or anything, like most tattoo shops, they were super packed,” he said.
He said that at that time he did not have any problems with his neighbors. While passing by, Rodriguez waved hello while taking out the trash.
“All the staff there have been amazing and great with us,” he said.
