Breaking from NBC News:
Sheriff to Announce South Carolina Deputy Ben Fields to Be Fired: Sources
South Carolina authorities will announce Wednesday that Richland County Senior Deputy Ben Fields, the school resource officer who was caught on camera violently flipping a high school student in her classroom, will be relieved of duty, sources told NBC News.
http://www.nbcnews.com/...
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott will be announcing Fields' termination at a press conference at noon.
Good riddance!
Update 1:
From terrypinder in the comments:
Also, keep her (girl who was assaulted by Fields -ed) in your thoughts.
She apparently lost her mother and grandmother this year and is in foster care. just a lot of trauma and now this.
Update 2:
12:01pm ET - Sheriff Leon Lott now giving press conference. Some paraphrased excerpts that confirm Fields' firing:
...
...He was wrong in some of his actions. It's not what I tolerate in any of my deputies...We welcome videos and are grateful for them...Our investigation had to be based solely on policy violations...it didn't take long...he was immediately placed on leave without pay...I do not feel the proper procedures were used...the maneuver he used was not based on his training and was not acceptable...he picked the student up and threw her across the room...20 minutes ago Fields was terminated from the Richland County Sheriff's Department...
Update 3:
2:52pm ET - From JVolvo in the comments:
2nd student who filmed assault was on Hayes
last night. She was also arrested - she stood up for victim while 2 school adults watched the assault happen (I'm guessing class teacher and administrator). All this b/c 1st student wouldn't give up her phone.
The students already had a nickname for this guy: Officer Slam. Get it?
Here's her interview:
http://www.msnbc.com/...