Chicago officer investigated for body-slamming man to ground

CHICAGO (AP) - A Chicago police officer is being investigated for body-slamming a man who spat on his face, authorities said Friday.

Police said the 29-year-old man was hospitalized following the incident Thursday afternoon. The 32-year-old officer also went to a hospital for evaluation.

The officer approached the man for drinking alcohol at a bus stop, police said. They said the man became 'œirate,'ť licked the officer's face and made threats before spitting in his eye and mouth.

A 41-second video a bystander posted to social media shows the officer pick the man up off his feet and throw him to the ground. The man then appears to lie motionless for the rest of the video.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement that the investigation 'œwill be comprehensive and expedited so that the public may gain a complete picture of what happened.'ť

'œWhile a single video does not depict the entirety of the interactions between the police and the individual, this particular video is very disturbing,'ť Lightfoot said.

Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi called the officer's actions 'œconcerning.'ť The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is investigating. Police say charges are pending against the man.