Two police officers were relieved of duty Thursday after they were seen on live TV beating a chase suspect who appeared to be surrendering.
The officers are members of the Massachusetts and New Hampshire state police departments. In a statement, Massachusetts State Police Colonel Richard McKeon called the incident "disturbing" and said the trooper from his department — who has not been identified — is now the subject of an internal affairs investigation.
A hearing Friday will determine if the trooper will be suspended or face modified duty during the investigation.
McKeon also insisted the "the alleged actions of any one member do not reflect on the rest of the department."
New Hampshire State Police Colonel Robert Quinn told reporters at a news conference that the trooper from his department — who also was not identified — has been relieved without pay during the investigation into the incident.
"The division of state police does not condone the unjustified use of force and it not be tolerated," Quinn added at the conference.
The incident happened Wednesday at the end of a police chase that began in Holden, Massachusetts. The suspect — later identified as Richard Simone, 50 — refused to stop for police, who pursued him through several towns.
Simone eventually got out of his truck in Hudson, New Hampshire. He appeared to surrender to police and was kneeling on the ground when multiple officers lunged forward and began punching him.
Dave Procopio, a spokesman for the Massachusetts State Police, told BuzzFeed News Thursday that Simone was arraigned in court Thursday morning and in the coming days will be transferred back to the state from New Hampshire. Simone had been wanted on multiple warrants for assault, larceny, and failure to stop for police, according to Procopio.
In the aftermath, New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph Foster said his office would investigate the incident. And the state's governor, Maggie Hassan, also called for an investigation.
"All New Hampshire public safety officials are held to the highest standards, and the governor expects this will be fully investigated," Hassan said Wednesday.