Amazon exec slams 'shocking' arrest of Black delivery driver who was pinned to the ground during a traffic stop

• Amazon is investigating the arrest of one of its delivery drivers on Tuesday in Warren, Michigan.
• A top Amazon executive on Tuesday shared a news report with a video appearing to show a white police officer restraining a Black driver who was facedown on the ground.
• "We see what others see in this video, and it's unacceptable," an Amazon representative told Business Insider. "We expect a swift investigation and full accountability for those involved. Amazon will deploy all necessary resources to investigate the matter with our Delivery Service Provider, as well as to represent and support the driver."
• A police officer initiated a traffic stop at 2 p.m. and advised the driver against parking on the wrong side of the road, Warren Police Commissioner William Dwyer told Business Insider in a phone interview on Wednesday.
• The police later charged the driver with resisting and obstructing a police officer, failure to obey a lawful command, and failure to produce a driver's license.
• "I hope they find justice for that boy. Those cops were unnecessary," Leah Debene, who witnessed part of the arrest, told Business Insider.

Amazon is investigating the arrest on Tuesday of a Black delivery driver in Warren, Michigan, who the police said parked on the wrong side of the street and resisted an officer.

On Tuesday evening, Dave Clark, Amazon's head of worldwide operations, tweeted a link to a story about the arrest and called it "shocking, unacceptable, and inexcusable." The story, by Fox 2 Detroit, had a witness' video that appeared to show a white officer kneeling beside the Amazon driver, who was facedown on the ground, and restraining him.

"We are digging in to support the driver and to ensure there is a proper outcome to this investigation," Clark tweeted.

The 23-year-old driver, who has not been named, was delivering Amazon packages on Engleman Road before the arrest, the police and witnesses said.

A police officer initiated a traffic stop at 2 p.m. and told the driver that he couldn't park on the wrong side of the road, Warren Police Commissioner William Dwyer told Business Insider in a phone interview on Wednesday. He said he planned to release footage taken from an officer's motorcycle camera.

"The officer approached the driver and made 11 requests for his driver's license," Dwyer said, adding that the driver failed to produce his license and argued with the officer.

"The officer then attempted to place the driver under arrest and a minor struggle ensued," he said. "The driver was taken to the ground, wrist-locked, handcuffed, arrested, and transported to the police station."

The police charged the driver with resisting and obstructing a police officer, failure to obey a lawful command, and failure to produce a driver's license. They also issued a citation for illegal parking.

Amazon told Business Insider that it planned to investigate the arrest.

"We see what others see in this video, and it's unacceptable," an Amazon representative said on Wednesday. "We expect a swift investigation and full accountability for those involved. Amazon will deploy all necessary resources to investigate the matter with our Delivery Service Provider, as well as to represent and support the driver."

Witnesses said the arrest appeared "unnecessary" and "aggressive."

"I hope they find justice for that boy. Those cops were unnecessary," Leah Debene, who witnessed part of the arrest when she was dropping her child off at a family member's home, told Business Insider.

"He was aggressive taking him down to the ground. It was so ridiculous over a traffic offense," Jim Michaels, who ordered the package that the driver was delivering, told WXYZ-TV.

Read the police commissioner's full statement on the incident:

"On June 9, 2020 at 2:00 p.m., the officer initiated a traffic stop on a 23-year-old African American male Amazon delivery driver. The traffic stop was for parking with left wheel to curb and occurred on the 11000 block of Engleman. The officer advised the driver he could not park on the wrong side of the road. The driver began arguing with the officer and walked away. The officer approached the driver and made eleven (11) requests for his driver's license. The driver failed to produce a driver's license and continued arguing. The officer then attempted to place the driver under arrest and a minor struggle ensued. The driver was taken to the ground, wrist-locked, handcuffed, arrested, and transported to the police station. The driver was charged with resisting and obstructing a police officer, failure to obey a lawful command, and failure to produce a driver's license. He was also issued a citation for illegal parking with left wheel to curb. He was later released on personal bond. Neither the subject nor the officer were injured nor requested any medical attention. This matter was turned over to the Internal Affairs Division and is currently being investigated. Upon completion of the Internal Affairs investigation, we will take the proper action, anywhere from termination to exoneration. I have video and audio from the officer's motorcycle camera. I will show the video and following the video, I will answer any questions."