Viral video shows plainclothes police beating innocent man in liquor store raid

The New York Police Department has launched an internal investigation after viral footage emerged, appearing to show undercover officers violently beating a man who was later found to be innocent.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, inside a liquor store in the Boerum Hill neighbourhood of Brooklyn, where plainclothes officers were filmed repeatedly punching and kicking the victim.

The footage, obtained by various news outlets, shows the man being slammed into glass bottles and dragged across the floor before being placed in handcuffs.

Authorities have now acknowledged that the arrest targeted the wrong person. The man, identified as Timothy Brown, was initially charged with resisting arrest after officers mistook him for a suspect involved in a drug sale.

Mr Brown, seen in recent interviews with a black eye and a cane, stated, "I just thank God that I’m alive. That’s all I can say." He insisted he complied with all police instructions, saying, "I want justice. I pray that none of this happens to anyone else."

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the recordings as "deeply disturbing" and confirmed that the two officers involved have been placed on modified duty. "Their guns and shields have been removed," she stated in a public post.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani also condemned the actions, labelling the violence "unacceptable." This significant controversy follows a series of recent calls for increased police accountability across the city.

As the Internal Affairs Bureau continues its probe, the department faces renewed scrutiny over the conduct and oversight of its undercover units.