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Athens police officers cleared after pinning 10-year-old boy down

The intense moments were caught on camera when the officers pinned the boy down, putting the department in the national spotlight.

ATHENS, Ga. — An internal review by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department has cleared two officers of wrongdoing in a confrontation between officers and a 10-year-old boy.

The intense moments were caught on camera when Athens officers Bond and Trotter pinned the boy down, putting the department in the national spotlight.

It happened last month on July 20, when police arrested the 10-year-old's father after a domestic violence situation.

PREVIOUS | Athens Police release body camera video of officer pinning child to ground

Investigators said the boy was upset and demanded to speak to his father before he lunged at the officers. That's when one of them pinned the child down.

From the officer's body camera, you see the child's arms being held behind his back and then the officer pins him to the ground. A statement from police said that the officer attempted to de-escalate the situation assuring the child that he was not under arrest and that he would let him up if he stayed calm.

Once back on his feet, police said he remained emotional but "was not resistant" toward officers. The boy eventually let go.

The child's grandfather called for the officers to be fired, saying, "If they do one child like that they'll turn right back around and do somebody else child. They could do your child like that - your child - anybody else child like that."

The department's office of professional standards reviewed the body camera footage of the encounter. The internal review, completed July 27, found use of force was reasonable and the officers did not break department policy.

Both officers were exonerated.

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