The local district attorney said Thursday that the Oklahoma City police officer who pushed a 71-year-old man to the ground following a traffic check has been charged with one count of aggravated assault and battery.
Following a minor altercation, Sgt. Joseph Gibson stopped Lich Vu, 71, for making an improper U-turn, according to body camera footage from the Oct. 27, 2024 incident.
Vu denied making a U-turn in the video, claimed that someone else had struck his car, and was asked to sign the ticket by the officer. After Vu finally exited the vehicle, the two began an increasingly heated verbal altercation.
Vu seemed to touch the officer’s arm, according to security footage from a nearby shop. Gibson quickly seized Vu’s hand, yanked it behind his back, and tossed him to the ground. The encounter took place in a matter of seconds, and video captured Vu colliding headlong with the pavement.
Vu was admitted to the hospital with serious injuries, such as a brain bleed, neck fracture, and orbital fracture.
According to a statement from District Attorney Vicki Zemp Behenna, her office takes every use-of-force incident very seriously and found that the officer’s conduct in this case constituted an unreasonable use of force.
According to state law, assault and battery are aggravated when they cause significant bodily harm to an elderly, frail, or incompetent person and are carried out by a person in good health or strength.
Gibson is still on administrative leave, according to Oklahoma City police, who declined to comment on the charge on Friday.
Aggravated assault and battery carries a penalty of zero to five years in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections or zero to one year in the Oklahoma County Detention Center, along with a fine of up to $500 if found guilty by a jury.
The Vietnamese community was outraged by the occurrence.
On the officer charge, Thuan Nguyen, the president-elect for the Vietnamese American Community of Oklahoma, told NBC station KFOR, “I think this is the due process of justice in its best form.”
Nguyen stated that he is now at home and has maintained communication with the Vu family, while he is still recuperating.
Nguyen stated that he was still quite confused. He might never be able to walk again, and I am aware of that.
On Thursday, the Oklahoma City Fraternal Order of Police declared its support for Gibson, claiming that he responded to the service call in a professional manner.
When a police officer gets charged with a felony for activities they took in the course of their duty, it is extremely disheartening. President Mark Nelson stated in a statement that Sgt. Gibson complied with his de-escalation training and policy when he was attacked. We sympathize with Mr. Vu and his family, and we acknowledge the injuries he suffered. Nonetheless, we firmly feel that every aspect of this tragedy is significant and should be taken into account.
The statement went on to say, “We are extremely concerned about the impact this charging decision will have on officers’ ability to rely on their professional judgment and training to maintain order and protect the public.”
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