Video Prompts Brutality Investigation

New Haven police are accused of punching a man.

The New Haven police chief has started an internal investigation after a video was taken of what appear to be police officers punching and kicking a man on Blake Street.

According to police reports, the incident happened on June 23 after the city's gunshot detection located a gunshot in the wooded area behind 179 Blake St.

When police arrived, they found Joseph Donaby, 31, and he took off running after seeing the officers. 

Police said he took a gun out of his pants, threw it over a fence and tried to jump the fence, Police grabbed him and a violent struggle began, police said.

The police officers said Donaby was kicking and punching them. In the video, it appears that Donaby is being hit while he is down on the ground.

"I'm so glad somebody caught this on tape," said Michelle Smith, who lives just steps from where the video was filmed.

New Haven Police Chief Frank Limon released a statement about the investigation. 

"I have asked the Internal Affairs Division to conduct a full and thorough investigation of these allegations. While this investigation is pending, the department, in the interest of transparency, is releasing publicly all available information about the incident and the individual involved in it," Limon said.

This wasn't Donaby's first run-in with the law. He has had a police record since 1997, which includes burglary, drugs and weapons charges.

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