CANTON, Ohio — At Monday evening's Canton City Council meeting, dozens of community members gathered following the release of body camera video showing city Police Officer Brandon Momirov running up and kicking a suspect who was kneeling on the ground.
"These are adults we're talking about, not children," community activist Kimberly Bell said during the public comment portion of the meeting. "An adult knows not to kick somebody."
Following an internal review of the Aug. 24 incident, the Canton Police Department determined Momirov violated its use-of-force policy. The case has been forwarded to the city's public safety director for a disciplinary hearing, the date of which remains unknown.
"When police do these things, they get fired, and that's it," resident Veronica Early stated. "But if I were to do these same things, I'm going to get fired and I'm going to go to jail. Why are they (the officers) not charged?"
The Momirov case comes just months after Frank Tyson died while in Canton police custody, a death the Stark County Coroner has since ruled a homicide. Also in June, Officer Nicholas Casto was fired after the department said he violated protocols when he deployed his K-9 on a suspect.
"You start throwing those cops in jail, they're going to take you serious(ly)," Bell declared.
Community members say they'll continue to be at the meetings and advocate for change.
"It's our job as the community and activists and people who have the strength to hold their voices and hold loved ones and make sure the community doesn't forget and make sure the people who (did these things), at the end of the day, are held accountable," advocate Sierra Mason told 3News.
WKYC asked officials about a possible date for Momirov's disciplinary hearing, but did not get a response.