A US Army soldier, charged with assaulting a black man outside his South Carolina home for being “in the wrong neighborhood”, has been suspended from his instructor duties by authorities at Fort Jackson.
Jonathan Pentland, 42, whose assault on the 20-year-old Black man, Deandre has gone viral since Monday, was charged with third-degree assault and battery in the incident, sparking Black Lives Matter protests at his doorstep.
Fort Jackson, U.S. Army’s largest basic training facility, on Thursday evening via its Twitter page stated that Richland County Sheriff’s Department “transferred Sgt. 1st Class Jonathan Pentland to Fort Jackson authorities late yesterday evening.”
It stated;
Pentland has been suspended from instructor duties pending the completion of the investigation and outcome of the criminal charges.
.@RCSD transferred Sgt. 1st Class Jonathan Pentland to Fort Jackson authorities late yesterday evening. Pentland has been suspended from instructor duties pending the completion of the investigation and outcome of the criminal charges. @PaulFunk2 @TradocDCG Read the thread
— Fort Jackson (@fortjackson) April 15, 2021
On his part, Fort Jackson Commander Brig. Gen. Milford Beagle, through Fort Jackson’s official Twitter account, stated;
Soldier conduct on and off duty must be exemplary to retain the trust of our communities and our nation. Fort Jackson continues to work with and support Sheriff Lott, our local law enforcement professionals, and community & civil leadership as this case moves forward.
“Soldier conduct on and off duty must be exemplary to retain the trust of our communities and our nation,” said Fort Jackson Commander Brig. Gen. Milford Beagle, Jr. @PaulFunk2 @TradocDCG Continue reading the thread.
— Fort Jackson (@fortjackson) April 15, 2021
“Fort Jackson continues to work with and support Sheriff Lott, our local law enforcement professionals, and community & civil leadership as this case moves forward,” Beagle added. @PaulFunk2 @TradocDCG
— Fort Jackson (@fortjackson) April 15, 2021
The Army officer and his family were caught on a cellphone video shot by a bystander harassing and threatening a 20-year-old black man, named Deandre, who explained he was just taking a walk in the neighbourhood in Columbia, South Carolina.
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, Pentlandcontinues 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.
