ST. LOUIS — Video obtained by 5 On Your Side shows an officer drawing his weapon on a shirtless man on a horse at Ballpark Village. The source who sent us the video said the incident happened Saturday night and the officer who was involved is an instructor at the St. Louis police academy.
The video begins with the shirtless man on a horse surrounded by a small crowd. The police officer in question appears to be talking with the man.
The officer then walks out of frame for about seven seconds before returning. He draws his gun and points it at the man on the horse.
Then, the man appears to reach toward his waistband, but it's not clear from the video what he is touching or referencing. According to police sources, the man had a weapon.
The officer puts his gun away and pulls the man off the horse. The video shows the man resisting the officer once he's pulled off the horse.
The officer eventually draws his weapon again, which causes the man to run away with his horse close behind.
5 On Your Side has contacted St. Louis police regarding the incident. We asked what prompted the incident, whether the officer's actions were justified and if the man on the horse was arrested.
A spokesperson for the department sent a brief statement Wednesday morning: "The Department is aware of the incident and an internal investigation is ongoing."
Watch the raw video of the incident in the YouTube player below: