The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and the FBI are prepared, if necessary, to launch investigations into potential police misconduct after an El Monte, Calif., police officer was caught by TV news cameras apparently kicking a suspect in the head after a high-speed car chase in El Monte, Calif.
On Thursday the El Monte Police Department asked the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department to revue the Wednesday arrest, in which aerial TV footage showed the suspect, lying face down on the ground after apparently surrendering, being kicked by an unidentified officer.
The office of the Los Angeles County prosecutor told FOX News that the case is being reviewed, but no county-level investigation has been launched at this point.
FBI sources told FOX News that the federal agency is prepared to conduct a civil rights investigation but first is waiting to see how local authorities handle the case.
El Monte Assistant Chief Steve Schuster said his department is conducting an internal investigation sparked Wednesday by phone calls from people who saw the kick in live footage taken from above in by helicopter.
"From our perspective [we] hate to comment until we have more facts. What's in the mind of the officer may not be what's in the mind of the viewer," Schuster said Wednesday. "As soon as we feel we can make a statement based on facts, we'll do that."
The El Monte Police will hold a press conference at 6 p.m. local time Thursday to update the public.
The officer in question was on duty on Thursday but working a desk job instead of a beat, police said.
The suspect was identified as Richard Rodriguez, 23, of El Monte, Calif. He was booked on charges of felony evading, parole violation, obstruction and or delaying a police officer in the performance of his duties and gang enhancement. Rodriguez, a known gang member, was taken to a county jail.
The suspects were allegedly throwing gang signs during the car chase, El Monte Lt. Chuck Carlson told FOXNews.com.
El Monte Chief Tom Armstrong said he had not yet seen the video and could not comment.
"Before coming to any conclusion, I want to look at all the facts," Armstrong said. "I don't know what was in the mind of the officer."
The chase started at about 1:30 p.m., when El Monte police tried to stop Rodriguez for a traffic violation, state Highway Patrol Officer Jose Nunez told MyFOXLA.com. There were two other men in the car who later were arrested.
Click here for more on this story from MyFOXLA.com.
FOXNews.com's Jennifer Lawinski and the Associated Press contributed to this article.
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