Police have identified a suspect after a photograph of a Black Lives Matter supporter kneeling on a crying baby's neck went viral on social media.
The photo shows a shirtless tattooed man kneeling on the baby, who is crying, while another person holds the child's arms behind their back.
The baby appeared to be white and the photo was posted with the caption, "BLM now."
WHIO-TV posted the disturbing photograph with the faces of the baby and the man blurred out.
The act of kneeling on the child's neck was apparently an allusion to the death of George Floyd, a black man, after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest in Minnesota. Video of the arrest led to protests erupting all across the country, some of which turned into rioting and looting.
Charges are pending
The Clark County Sheriff's Office in Ohio announced on Wednesday that they had a suspect in relation to the photograph and that charges were pending a review by the Clark County Prosecutor's Office.
Investigators said they contacted the mother of the child and had the baby transported to a hospital for examination. They said the baby did not sustain any injuries from the incident.
"Subsequent interview with the mother revealed that she was unaware of the photo having been taken, or its contents, until she had been informed by other parties," said Clark County Sheriff's Office Lt. Kristopher Shultz in a release to the media.
Deputies booked Isaiah Jackson, 20, into the Clark County Jail on a probation violation. The sheriff's office said the prosecutor's office will "provide a determination on the scope and breadth of the felony charges," but they did not offer any indication on what the charges might be against Jackson.
"Black Lives Matter" protests and rioting have continued in some cities, including Portland, Oregon, where the violence has escalated so badly that President Donald Trump ordered federal officers to aid in quelling the rioters. On Wednesday, the president announced that he would be sending federal officers to Chicago, Illinois, also after a rash of violent crime in the city.
Author: Carlos Garcia
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