Viral video of teen's arrest in Lynwood is tied to Anaheim jewelry store robbery, police say

LYNWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- A viral video showing officers punching and taking down a 17-year-old this weekend sparked widespread claims on social media that federal immigration agents were involved. But Anaheim police say the men in the video were undercover officers arresting a wanted smash-and-grab suspect.

The video shows the 17-year-old suspect attempting to carjack a vehicle before being punched and taken down. The confrontation happened on Friday in Lynwood, where angry witnesses who thought the officers were ICE agents shouted as the takedown unfolded.

According to Anaheim police, the teen was the final outstanding suspect in a violent jewelry store robbery in the Anaheim Hills last month.

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Police say the group of eight suspects was caught on camera smashing an SUV through the front of Classic Jewelers in Anaheim Hills before storming inside and clearing out display cases. Store owner Ramzy Tabello said the thieves also stole his firearm.



"I said, 'I have a gun. Get out. I have a gun.' They saw my gun on the counter, and they grabbed it," Tabello said.

Investigators said the thieves escaped in two vehicles, getting away with the weapon and an estimated $750,000 in custom jewelry.

Their getaway came to a crashing end in two separate collisions a few miles away in Fullerton after Anaheim officers spotted the vehicles and followed them.

"This is not the first time doing it, by the looks of the video that I've seen," Sgt. Eric Anderson of Anaheim police said. "This is someone who had a plan and attempted that plan, but the outstanding police work of the Anaheim Police Department was definitely not going to let that plan go through."

Seven of the eight suspects were arrested shortly after the robbery. Undercover officers tracked the final suspect to Lynwood, where they took him into custody in the Friday incident that later circulated online. Detectives say they recovered a gun, ski mask and burglary tools from his vehicle.



Anaheim police say they tried to use a Taser on the teen first, but it didn't work. Officials say in addition to the smash-and-grab robbery, the teen also had a felony warrant out for his arrest in Los Angeles County.