Texas pool party police officer quits: Eric Casebolt resigns after drawing his gun on on a group of black youths

Many parents and community activists had demanded that he be fired

Eric Casebolt pins 15-year-old Dajerria Becton to the floor outside a pool party she had been attending with her friends (YouTube)

The Texas police officer at the centre of the pool party controversy has handed in in his resignation, officials have announced.

Eric Casebolt, who was filmed drawing his gun on a group of black youths at a swimming pool and forcing one of them to the ground, tendered his resignation on Tuesday afternoon.

Mr Casebolt had been on suspension after footage of the incident at the pool in McKinney went viral. Many parents and community activists had demanded that he be fired.

The incident also reopened a national conversation about the way some police officers deal with black suspects.

Police Corporal Eric Casebolt was “out of control” in his response to the pool party disturbance last week in the city north of Dallas, McKinney Police Chief Greg Conley told reporters on Tuesday evening.

“He came into the call out of control and as the video shows was out of control during the incident,” Mr Conley said, according to Reuters.

He added: “I had 12 officers on the scene, and 11 of them performed according to their training. They did an excellent job.”

The Associated Press said that Mr Casebolt’s lawyer, Jane Bishkin, said her client had received deaths threats.

Tatyana Rhodes, one of the teenager who was present and who was a friend of the girl pushed to the floor, told CNN she was glad the officer had resigned.

“I hope my friend gets over this,” she added.