Questions remain after California police seen beating man in street

WATCH ABOVE: Police in Salinas, California are seen beating and tazing a suspect, but what really happened? Brynne Whittaker reports.

TORONTO – A California community has been left enraged after an alleged mentally ill man was seen getting beaten by police in the middle of a street even though cops say they had a good reason.

The Salinas Police Department claims that 28-year-old Jose Velasco had recently been running in and out of traffic and even slammed his mother to the pavement. Batons were apparently used to subdue him only after Tasers proved ineffective.

“These were police officers who were trying to keep the community safe from a very dangerous man, who is on drugs and demonstrated to be violent towards others,” Chief Kelly McMillin told KSBW.

But Velaso’s mother, Rita Acosta, is telling a different version of the story.

“He wasn’t trying to hurt me,” Acosta told city council Tuesday. “He was fighting the demons or whatever it is that he was seeing.

“I was asking for the police department to come and help him, so we could get him medical attention,” she added.

Acosta wasn’t alone either. A number of residents joined her to call on city officials to modify police protocol.

“Every colour – red, black, brown, white – every colour, every age deserves to be treated fairly and not beaten with batons,” one resident said.

At least one city representative agreed the video appeared to show police brutality but wouldn’t make any final conclusion until the whole story was revealed.

No charges have been filed against Velasco while an internal police investigation is ongoing.