Gwinnett County Police officer fired over use of taser during woman's arrest

LOGANVILLE, Ga. - A Gwinnett County Police officer has been fired after a video of him arresting 22-year-old Kyndesia Smith appeared on the social media app TikTok.

The video, which has been viewed millions of times and shared 170,000 times, shows officer Michael Oxford arguing with Smith, eventually tasing her and arresting her. Oxford is White and Smith is Black.

"The investigation in this case has shown that Officer Oxford violated our policy and did not meet our core values," the Gwinnett County Police Department released in a statement to FOX 5. "For this reason, the employment of Officer Oxford has been terminated as of August 21st."

The incident happened on Aug. 18 on the 1800 block of Summit Creek Way in Loganville.

According to the Gwinnett County Police Department, Oxford was called to the neighborhood Tuesday night for a property damage complaint. Oxford's report said the alleged victim told him a group of people yelled at her, threw a bottle at her car and “threatened to kick her son in the head.”

The officer was directed to a house down the street where he recognized one of the women from security footage of the incident, the report said. Oxford tried to speak with a group gathered outside the house, but the situation went awry.

The video shows Oxford in a screaming match with Smith. He eventually asks her, “Do you want to go to jail?” Smith responds, “I’m not going anywhere. … I’m not resisting, you’re not touching me.”

Oxford then attempts to arrest Smith, who steps behind another woman, and a physical fight ensues. The video shows Oxford pulling out his taser and telling the woman to get on the ground multiple times. She doesn’t, and Oxford tases her, causing her to fall into a bush.

The mother and daughter say the officer approached them acting rude and agressive. 

"He said you are going to jail and she said no I am not. And as you see in the video,  you can see him coming around to physically grab her," Smith's mom Aytra Thomas complains.

"He said, you are under arrest. I said for what. You didn't even tell me what for. You don't even have a warrant. You just came in our yard yelling at all of us," a frustrated Kyndesia Smith told FOX 5's Aungelique Proctor.

On Friday, the department released body-camera video of the incident. 

"We hope that in doing this, it will show that we are committed to building upon the public trust as servants to the citizens of Gwinnett County."

Smith was charged with felony obstruction of a law enforcement officer and simple battery.

Jail records show Smith was released Wednesday morning on a $2,950 bond.

The Gwinnett County Police Department originally placed Oxford on desk duty during an internal investigation.