Protesters have on Thursday gathered outside the house of a White soldier for accosting and assaulting a Black man, who he accused of walking in the ‘wrong neighbourhood’.
Jonathan Pentland, 42, was caught on camera attacking the victim simply identified as Deandre, 22, on the street in Summit area of South Carolina, and threatening him with violence if he did not leave.
The video shows Pentland repeatedly shouting at the young man that he ‘better keep walking’.
Pentland is heard saying at one point: ‘You either walk away or I’m gonna carry your a** out of here… I’m about to show you what I can do.’
Following the circulation of the video, he was charged on Wednesday with third-degree assault and battery, confirmed Richmond County Sheriff’s Department.
According to Shirell Johnson, who posted the video on Monday, the incident happened on a public sidewalk in Lakes at Barony Place development in Summit neighborhood of Columbia.
She also claimed that shortly after the recording stopped that Pentland slapped the victim’s hand, causing his phone to smash on the floor.
The recording begins with Pentland, an Army sergeant first class, asking Deandre what he’s doing in the area, to which he responds that he was simply walking and lives nearby.
Pentland can be heard telling Deandre to ‘go away right now’, before he shrugs and says ‘call the police’.
A woman in the background can be heard saying ‘they’ve already been called’, before Pentland asks: ‘What do you think you’re doing here?’
Deandre continues to look around in disbelief before responding: ‘Walking,’ to which Pentland screams at him to ‘then walk’.
Throughout the three-minute video, Pentland continues to demand Deandre to leave the neighbourhood, getting in his face and at one point pushing him so hard he almost falls to the ground.
Pentland demands;
You either walk away or I’m gonna carry your a** out of here. I’m about to do something to you. You better start walking. You’re in the wrong neighbourhood motherf****r. Get out.
Ms Johnson, who shared the video, said authorities arrived at the scene some time later but only gave Pentland a citation for malicious injury to property for slapping Deandre’s phone out of his hand and cracking it.
After the footage was shared tens of thousands of times, Ms Johnson told Facebook users in an update;
I have been in contact with both D (as I call him now) to check on him and the young lady Shadae who did the video. Both are doing ok but still processing.
Twitter, I’m told this super douche lives in The Summit in Columbia, South Carolina. If you recognize him, please DM me — I want to make sure the name I have is accurate before I blast it all over social media. pic.twitter.com/LYAVzL2FaE
— Angry Staffer (@Angry_Staffer) April 13, 2021
According to Pentland’s social media accounts, he has been stationed at Fort Jackson, the US Army’s largest basic training facility, since 2019. He has worked as a drill sergeant at the garrison – a 53,000-acre complex that trains 50% of all soldiers who enter the Army each year.
Officials at Fort Jackson said they were looking into the incident, while base officials said that Department of Justice was investigating as well.
When asked on Twitter about the video, Fort Jackson Commanding Brig., Gen. Milford H. Beagle Jr. said the behaviour displayed by Pentland ‘is by no means condoned by any service member.’
‘We will get to the bottom of this ASAP,’ he said.
On his official Facebook page, Mr Beagle said Army officials ‘have begun our own investigation and are working with the local authorities.’
Following this, protesters on Thursday gathered outside the home of Pentland for harassing the Black man.
Black community in the area stormed Jonathan’s home and gathered at the lawn, yelling that they are on his property, while daring him to come outside.
At some point, the protests at the Pentland home, according to Richland County Sheriff’s Department, became violent and his family was removed after their property was vandalised.
The protests at the Pentland home have become violent. The family was removed after it was vandalized. They were moved to another location and the neighborhood is being closed off except to residents. Please stay out of the area
— Richland County Sheriff’s Dept. (@RCSD) April 15, 2021
Watch the video of the protesters below;
This is right now at the sidewalk outside #JonathanPentland‘s house where he assaulted a young Black man pic.twitter.com/Z1jeNhfguE
— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) April 14, 2021
HAPPENING NOW: Protesters are here at the home of one man (confirmed he’s stationed at Fort Jackson) who in a video was getting into an argument with another man. We are working to get the video for you. Expecting a news conference shortly. @wachfox pic.twitter.com/qU6yN9J8Xq
— Sooji Nam (@sooji_namtv) April 14, 2021
