San Jose police are investigating several of their officers after new video that some say shows them beating up an unhoused man. The department said officers confronted the man after someone reported he was exposing himself in public. The NAACP is keeping a close eye on the internal investigat ion at police headquarters. The video from Monday night’s confrontation was shot by a neighbor on Fruitdale Avenue. “When I saw the fourth officer come in after Oscar was being held down by three officers come in with a flying knee to the head, followed by a punch, I pulled out my phone,” witness Dominic Cordero said. Oscar is an unhoused man known to residents in the area. Neighbors said he has been seen touching himself in public, near a school, and sleeping on people’s driveways. San Jose Mar 13 San Jose mayor's budget plan targets homelessness San Jose 13 hours ago Lone adult suspect in deadly Santana Row stabbing denied bail milpitas Mar 13 Suspects in South Bay massage parlor robberies arrested Police said the call on Monday was from on of those residents who felt afraid of Oscar, saying he was trespassing on her property. When officers arrived, police said he tried to take off, became combative and bit one of the officers. Witness Jenette Holzworth also pulled out her cell phone and recorded after asking officers why they were using so much force. “He was at that point restrained,” Holzworth said. “They didn’t need to be forcing his head in that situation, in my opinion.” Police said like in all use-of-force incidents, internal affairs is investigating the incident. Monday’s situation comes just one week after the mayor announced a policy of arresting unhoused individuals who refuse help repeatedly. “Use of force, even when justified, is hard to watch,” Mayor Matt Mahan said in a statement. “Our proactive department investigates all use of force cases to ensure our officers followed the law, and this incident is already being reviewed. I have also been in touch with our Independent Police Auditor to make sure his office is aware and engaged. But the truth is, the suspect should have been indoors and in care, not exposing himself in a neighborhood – this is yet another example of why I am calling on our County to expand treatment options for those living and dying on our streets. If this person had received the care he clearly needs, a neighbor would have never had to call 911 because she was scared that a homeless man was masturbating outside her residence, and he never would have repeatedly bit a police officer. We are one of the safest big cities in the country because we have one of the best police departments in the country and I want to thank our brave officers for working every day to make our community safe.” William Armaline, who is with the NAACP Silicon Valley chapter and is a professor of sociology at San Jose State University, said the use of force is a concern. “There needs to be an investigation and there needs to be consequences if they’re merited,” Armaline said. “But there needs to be a statement to the public about how this will be avoided in the future if the city is going to pursue this strategy on cracking down on these populations.” Mahan also notified the independent police auditor to add an extra set of eyes to the investigation. The San Jose Police Department provided the following statement on Friday: “On March 10, 2025, at approximately 8:00 PM, officers responded to the area of Fruitvale Ave and Leigh Ave for a report of indecent exposure incident involving an unhoused male. The reporting party was afraid, as the suspect was trespassing on her property and also reported seeing the same male masturbating outside the day prior. The reporting party desired prosecution. Officers arrived on scene and contacted the suspect who was laying on the sidewalk. During the contact, the suspect stood up and ran away from officers. During the physical altercation, the suspect bit one of the officers. The suspect’s active resistance prompted a use of force incident to occur. Ultimately, the suspect was taken into custody and sustained minor injuries that did not require hospital evaluation. As result of the incident, 3 officers were evaluated at a local hospital for minor injuries related to the struggle and later released. One of the officers required treatment from being bitten by the suspect. The suspect was transported and booked into the Santa Clara County jail for indecent exposure, resisting arrest, and battery on an officer. As in all use of force incidents, an internal use of force investigation is underway to determine whether the officers acted within department policy and the law.” ...read more read less