Battery charge filed against fired Orange County deputy caught on video yanking girl’s head

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A battery charge has been filed against an Orange County deputy who was fired in November after he was captured on video yanking a girl’s head.

Cellphone video of the incident surfaced on social media and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office also released body camera footage appearing to show then-school resource officer Harry Reid pulling the 13-year-old girl’s hair.

The family of the teenager, Wilmica Edmond, said back in November that they were considering filing battery charges against Reid. Records show those charges were filed Jan. 30.

READ: Sheriff’s Office releases name of deputy who was fired after video shows him yanking girl’s head

Watch cellphone video of the incident below:

Watch: Cellphone video shows school resource deputy yanking girl by her head Sheriff John Mina said??Friday afternoon that a school resource officer was fired after??a video surfaced on social media that appears to show the deputy??yanking a middle school student's head, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said.

Watch bodycam video of the incident below:

Watch: Bodycam video shows school resource deputy yanking girl by her head Sheriff John Mina said??Friday afternoon that a school resource officer was fired after??a video surfaced on social media that appears to show the deputy??yanking a middle school student's head, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said.

Edmond’s aunt Frances Jasmin told Channel 9 investigative reporter Daralene Jones that the family was glad to find out the charged had been filed.

“She was afraid to go to school. She is afraid to talk to people. She was like hiding. She has a fear behind her head that anything can happen to them, until now,” her aunt said.

The State Attorney’s Office released the following statement regarding the charges:

“On January 30, 2020, our office did in fact file an Information charging Harry Reid, the former Orange County Sheriff’s Deputy accused of pulling a girl by the hair, with one count of Battery. This is an open and active investigation which limits our ability to comment any further.”

READ: Orange County Sheriff’s Office outlines SRO selection process after viral video

Investigators said a fight between girls at Westridge Middle School spilled over into the parking lot of a nearby apartment complex, which is where the incident occurred.

"You're the one that started this **** at school," Reid is heard saying in a video of the incident.

READ: Compliments, complaints revealed in personnel file of fired Orange County SRO

Sheriff John Mina said Reid was removed from the school and fired after the video surfaced.

“That deputy’s behavior and actions violated many policies, our standards, but more importantly, the visions and expectations I’ve set as sheriff and definitely will not be tolerated,” Mina said following Reid’s firing. “I want our deputy sheriffs to know that as well and I hope this sends a strong message not only to our community, but also to our deputy sheriffs.”

Edmond’s family attorney, Ryan Fletcher, said the family plans to file a lawsuit, which may be put on hold until the criminal case wraps up.

“This is, I think, an important step forward, and a precedent for the Orlando community and Central Florida community, in that the state is not going to tolerate excessive force and any abuse of force, against the citizens and especially our vulnerable children in schools,” Fletcher said.

Stay tuned to Eyewitness News for updates.

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