Glendale police officer charged with assault after viral arrest video

A Glendale police officer who was filmed kicking a teenager in the face while being detained at the Galleria mall has been charged with assault, prosecutors said Monday.

Gonzalo Zendejas, 39, was charged with assault for the June 2021 incident when officers responded to a shoplifting call at Dick’s sporting goods store.

A video of the arrest, first released by CBS, shows several officers wrestling with and beating the restrained teen. Zendejas, who can be seen kicking the prone youth in the face, was the only officer charged. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the other officers involved in the arrest or the status of the beaten teen.

“While police officers have an extraordinarily challenging and demanding job to do in their duty to protect our communities, that responsibility does not excuse actions that endanger others or undermine public trust,” Dist. Atty. George Gascón said in a statement. “This incident is a serious violation of the duty to serve with integrity and respect.”

Sergeant Vahe Abramyan, a spokesman for the Glendale Police Department, said Zendejas has been on leave since the incident. The three other officers involved in the arrest have since returned to duty, Abramyan said.

Zendejas has not yet appeared in court, but if convicted he faces up to three years in prison. It was initially unclear who his lawyer is.