US police officer sued for $500,000 after knocking out handcuffed teenager's tooth

Alexis Acker suffered damage to her face, head, tooth and jaw

Tyler Walker's report states that he “forcefully threw Ms. Acker ... face down on the ground,” holding her in a pinned position. (Cop Block Fresno, CA/ YouTube )

A teenager had her front tooth knocked out when a police officer threw her onto the floor while she was handcuffed in hospital.

Alexis Acker, who was 18 at the time of the incident, is seeking $500,000 in compensation for injuries, which included damage to her face, head, tooth and jaw.

The incident took place in 2013, but hospital surveillance footage of the confrontation has gone viral this week.

The footage shows Officer Tyler Walker, pushing a handcuffed Acker into a chair. She then kicks him after which the officer grabs her and throws her face-down on to the floor.

Acker had been arrested after officers called to her apartment due to a disturbance involving a gun found her to be “intoxicated and verbally uncooperative with police,” and became “physically combative”, according to the Colorado Springs Independent.

Police reports say that Acker had been taken to Memorial Hospital for a “medical clearance” due to her “intoxication level and combative nature”.

According to Walker’s report of the incident, Acker “remained verbally aggressive, continually yelling obscenities towards police and my personal life."

Walker's report states that he “forcefully threw Ms. Acker ... face down on the ground,” holding her in a pinned position.

“It was then evident that I had caused her injury and knocked out her front tooth while throwing her on to the hard linoleum hospital floor, while her hands [were] still handcuffed behind her back,” he wrote.

Acker was later charged with five offences, including two felony assaults on a police officer.

Acker is also asking for $500,000 in damages due to on-going medical conditions since the incident including migraine headaches, concussion, closed head injuries, memory and cognitive function problems, and post-traumatic stress disorder.