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A routine visit to Glenpool City Hall turned into a shocking confrontation when a city employee physically grabbed a journalist's camera and put her hands on the camera operator. The entire incident was captured on video, showing what investigators are calling a clear case of battery by a government employee.
Chris, working as a camera operator for an investigative team, was simply looking for the city clerk's office to file a public records request when the new employee identified as "Miss Chiloha" suddenly grabbed both him and his expensive camera equipment. The assault happened in front of multiple city staff members in the public areas of city hall.
The Moment Everything Went Wrong
The confrontation began when the employee approached Chris and demanded he turn off his camera. When he politely declined, explaining he was just looking for the city clerk's office, the situation escalated rapidly. "You better get off me, woman," Chris can be heard saying as the employee physically grabbed him and his camera equipment.
Witnesses immediately recognized the severity of what had occurred. "You just assaulted me," Chris told the employee, while other staff members scrambled to understand what they had just witnessed. The entire interaction was captured on the camera the employee had attempted to seize.
City Staff Scrambles for Damage Control
City clerk staff quickly tried to defuse the situation, with one employee apologizing profusely and explaining that the aggressive worker was new. "She is new, yes sir. She can't put her hands on people," one staffer acknowledged, clearly understanding the legal implications of what had just occurred.
The response from city officials revealed a troubling double standard. As journalist Ron Durbin pointed out at the scene, "If we did that to you guys, we get the cops on notice." Yet the employee who committed the battery remained at work while officials offered excuses and tried to minimize the incident.
No Restricted Areas, No Warnings, Just Violence
Perhaps most disturbing was the complete lack of justification for the employee's actions. There were no restricted area signs, no warnings posted, and no indication that Chris had violated any rules or policies. He was simply in a public building during business hours, seeking to exercise his right to request public records.
"You didn't walk past a restricted access sign or anything, did you?" Durbin asked, with staff confirming there was no such signage. The employee had no legal authority to detain, redirect, or physically touch a member of the public who was lawfully present in the building.
The Cost of Unchecked Government Power
The financial implications alone should concern taxpayers. The camera equipment that was grabbed costs between $700 and $800, and the employee showed no regard for potentially damaging expensive property belonging to a journalist. More troubling is what might have happened if the interaction wasn't being recorded.
City Development Manager Chad Kumar eventually intervened, but his primary concern seemed to be protecting the employee who committed the battery rather than addressing the clear violation of a citizen's rights. Officials promised a meeting to resolve the issue, but the employee remained at work as if nothing had happened.
Questions That Demand Answers
The incident raises serious questions about training, accountability, and the culture within Glenpool city government. How does a new employee feel empowered to physically assault a member of the public? What training do city workers receive about interacting with journalists and citizens exercising their rights?
Most importantly, what consequences will this employee face for committing what appears to be a textbook case of battery? The video evidence is crystal clear, witnesses were present, and the violation of rights is undeniable. Yet as this investigation was concluding, the employee was still at her desk.
Watch the full confrontation unfold and see for yourself whether Glenpool officials follow through on their promises of accountability.
