EAST PROVIDENCE — Nearly 24 hours after a video surfaced on Facebook showing one of its officers striking a woman from behind as she was being apprehended, the East Providence Police Department released a statement on the subject Tuesday night, May 28.

The EPPD statement attempts to explain the scene and the situation surrounding the arrest of 24-year-old Alexis Cable on Evergreen Drive the previous day, Monday, May 27.

The statement, issued through the office of Mayor Bob DaSilva, claims the video shows “an officer delivering a single blow to the back of the neck of a female suspect.” Included in the release were several photos of apparent scratches delivered by Ms. Cable to officers as she was being detained.

Ms. Cable was eventually arrested and charged with Disorderly Conduct, three counts of Simple Assault and Battery and Resisting Arrest.

The full EPPD statement on the matter follows:

The East Providence Police were made aware of a video clip of our officers during an arrest Monday evening (May 28, 2019). The video depicts an officer delivering a single blow to the back of the neck of a female suspect. Prior to this incident, an officer was on routine patrol interacting with children in the Evergreen Apartments complex. A separate group of juveniles approached the officer and alerted him to a disturbance between a male and female that was taking place nearby. As the officer responded to the area of the disturbance, he could hear screaming in the vicinity of 120 Evergreen Dr. The male had fled the area and the officer encountered 24-year-old Alexis Cable, a resident of the Evergreen Apartments complex. The officer attempted to ask Cable about the disturbance. She was uncooperative and attempted to leave the area. Cable then began to loudly scream for relatives to exit their apartments. As a result, numerous members of Cable’s family exited and circled the officer. While circling the officer, the crowd became increasingly agitated and antagonistic toward the officer. The family encouraged others to interfere with the officer causing the crowd to grow.

Additional officers arrived on scene and an attempt to arrest Cable and control the crowd was made. As officers tried to put Cable in handcuffs, she pulled away and began gouging the officers’ wrists, forearms and hands with her fingernails. She was eventually able to be placed in handcuffs and walked to a police cruiser. While officers were attempting to put her in the cruiser and despite being in handcuffs, she continued gouging officers’ wrists and forearms with her nails. Officers attempted to release Cable’s hands to avoid being continuously injured by her, but she would not let go. After being told several times to let go of their arms, a single forearm strike was delivered by one of the backup officers to the back of Cable’s lower head/neck area in an effort to release her nails from the officer’s wrist. This single strike caused Cable’s body to move forward, her grip to be broken and she was able to be secured in the police cruiser.

While at the police station, Cable advised she was uninjured, but was transported to Rhode Island Hospital out of an abundance of caution. The officers’ injuries were cleaned and treated by the East Providence Fire Department.

Additionally, one of Cable’s fingernails, which had broken off during her attempts to injure the officers, was located in the rear of the police cruiser.

The investigation is ongoing as additional video footage depicting the incident in its entirety is being obtained. An internal review will be conducted by the East Providence Police Dept.’s Office of Professional Standards.

Cable is charged with:
Disorderly Conduct
Three counts of Simple Assault and Battery
Resisting Arrest