Oklahoma City, OK — An Oklahoma City police officer has been charged with felony assault after a confrontation with a 71-year-old man left the victim with serious injuries, including a broken neck. Sergeant Joseph Gibson, 28, was charged Thursday with one count of aggravated assault and battery, following an October 27 incident in which he slammed Lich Vu to the ground after a verbal dispute over a traffic ticket. The altercation was captured on body-worn camera footage released by the police department.
The incident began after Vu, a man of Vietnamese descent, was involved in a minor, non-injury traffic accident. According to the police, Vu touched Sergeant Gibson during the ensuing argument, which led to the officer forcefully throwing him to the ground. The fall resulted in a brain bleed, broken neck, and fractured eye socket. Vu remains hospitalized, and his injuries have sparked outrage, particularly within Oklahoma City’s Vietnamese community.
“We evaluate the law and the facts in each individual case, and in this particular case determined the officer’s actions were an unreasonable use of force,” said Oklahoma County District Attorney David Behenna in a statement. “This is a tragic situation, and we are committed to holding those responsible accountable.”
The body-camera footage from the officer shows the tense interaction, during which Vu appears confused and struggles to communicate with Gibson. According to witnesses, Vu had difficulty understanding the officer’s commands, which some members of the community believe contributed to the escalation of the situation.
The use of force prompted immediate condemnation from local advocacy groups and civil rights organizations, which highlighted the language barrier and questioned the appropriateness of Gibson’s actions. Vu’s family and supporters argue that the officer’s response was disproportionate to the situation.
“This is not just about one officer; it’s about the larger issue of how law enforcement interacts with vulnerable communities, especially those who may not speak English fluently,” said Linh Doan, a community leader in Oklahoma City. “The use of excessive force is unacceptable, especially when the person involved clearly does not understand what is happening.”
The Oklahoma City Police Department placed Sergeant Gibson on administrative leave while an internal investigation was conducted. Captain Valerie Littlejohn declined to comment on the charges, referring instead to a statement released in October, which assured the public that the investigation was being thoroughly reviewed.
“We want our community to know that this case is being thoroughly investigated, and the review process will take time to complete,” the department’s statement read, which was also translated into Vietnamese to ensure the message reached the local Vietnamese community.
In response to the charges, Mark Nelson, president of the Oklahoma City Fraternal Order of Police, expressed support for the officer but acknowledged the severity of Vu’s injuries.
“It is very disappointing to see a police officer face felony charges for actions taken in good faith while serving in the line of duty,” Nelson said. “Sgt. Gibson followed his de-escalation training and protocol when assaulted. We understand the gravity of the situation, but officers should not be criminalized for doing their job.”
The debate over this incident touches on broader issues of police conduct, the use of force, and how law enforcement handles encounters with individuals who may have difficulty understanding commands or who are in vulnerable situations. While police unions argue that officers must be given latitude in the heat of the moment, critics say the use of force in this case was excessive and that officers must be held accountable for actions that exceed reasonable levels of response.
As the legal process moves forward, both sides in the case will likely continue to make their arguments about the limits of police authority and the need for better training in handling sensitive situations involving language barriers and elderly individuals.
For now, the incident remains a painful chapter in a larger national conversation about police practices and accountability.
