An Austin police officer who was investigated and reprimanded for the violent arrest of a black woman in 2015 has been fired for his conduct in a more recent arrest.
The Austin American-Statesman reports that Bryan Richter's dismissal Monday stems from a case in which he and other officers were serving a warrant nearly six months ago. Video footage shot from a police helicopter shows Richter pressing his foot to a suspect's head during the arrest.
Police union officials say Richter's firing is excessive punishment and that he will appeal.
Richter has been under scrutiny since 2016 when a video was released showing Breaion King being thrown to the ground during her arrest. He was given a reprimand. The department has since changed how such cases are evaluated.
A documentary on the arrest of King has been nominated for an Academy Award this year. According to HBO's website, Traffic Stop tells the story of the Austin teacher "who is stopped for a routine traffic violation that escalates into a dramatic arrest."
