A Former Indiana Officer Faces Charges Over Violent Arrests
Federal prosecutors have charged a former eastern Indiana police officer with civil rights violations, alleging that he used excessive force during three arrests, including by kicking a man in the head and shooting another with beanbags from close range.
The U.S. Attorney’s office announced Friday that former New Castle police officer Aaron J. Strong has been indicted on three counts of “deprivation (of civil rights) under color of law” and a single count of witness tampering.
According to the charging documents, Strong, 44, kicked a man “in and about the head” during an arrest on July 12, 2017, The (Muncie) Star Press reported. On the same day, he used a beanbag shotgun to shoot another man “at close range” in the back during an arrest, prosecutors allege.
