Video of a La Mesa officer slamming a handcuffed high school student to the ground has sparked massive outrage.
The incident happened at the Helix Charter High School and was captured and shared via social media.
La Mesa Police Chief Walt Vasquez says the officers were called in to deal with a 17-year-old who was suspended, but refused to leave the campus grounds.
Vasquez says the officer only handcuffed the girl after a school resource officer tried and failed to get her to leave.
"As they were walking, the student became non-compliant on two separate occasions and made an attempt to free herself by pulling away from the officer. To prevent the student from escaping, the officer forced the student to the ground."
Witnesses say the officer forced her to the ground twice, using his weight to pin her to the ground.
Vasquez says however that when the girl finally agreed to stop resisting or trying to run, the officer helped her up and walked her to his patrol car.
Aeiramique Blake, who's sister attends Helix, says the police had the situation all wrong.
Blake says the girl was assigned an in-school suspension and for being tardy and was trying to tell the teacher she felt sick.
She says the teacher asked to search the student's backpack and she complied; no drugs were found but the teacher did find pepper spray in the bag.
Saying the spray was considered a weapon, the teacher told the girl to leave the campus but she says the instructor's behavior was discriminatory and wouldn't leave campus until her side was heard.
Blake says her sister was one of the ones that took video of the altercation between the girl and the officer.
"No matter what was done or not done, that was not the appropriate way to handle a young lady. The community is completely outraged."
Vasquez says an investigation will be done and the videos of the incident will be reviewed.
"As is protocol with all incidents involving use of force, the La Mesa Police Department will be conducting a detailed review of the force used and of the entire incident.
Helix High School officials are also fully aware of the facts surrounding the incident."