“HANDCUFFED, HELPLESS, AND SLAMMED FACE-FIRST — OFFICER’S BRUTAL TAKEDOWN OF 90-LB BLACK TEEN SPARKS OUTRAGE AS COVER-UP ALLEGATIONS EMERGE”

 A violent arrest captured on multiple cameras has ignited national outrage and renewed scrutiny over police use of force, after a 17-year-old girl was slammed face-first onto concrete by an officer who then allegedly misrepresented the incident to her family and medical staff.

The incident occurred on May 21, 2025, outside a Food 4 Less grocery store on West Second Street. The teenager, identified in court filings as Erin Causor, had just exited the store after being involved in a chaotic altercation inside. According to witness statements and legal documents, Causor was not an aggressor in that incident but rather one of several individuals who had been attacked by a group of other youths.

Moments later, as she walked across the parking lot toward friends, San Bernardino Police Officer Jackson Tubbs approached her from behind. Body camera footage and a bystander’s cellphone video—now central to a civil lawsuit—show that Tubbs did not issue a verbal warning or identify himself before grabbing the teenager by her backpack.

The sudden force caused Causor to react instinctively, reaching backward. The officer interpreted this movement as resistance. Within seconds, he forced her arms behind her back and partially applied handcuffs, leaving one wrist secured while the other remained free but restrained. In that compromised position, with her arms pinned and unable to break a fall, Tubbs executed what legal filings describe as a “hip toss,” lifting the 90-pound teenager off the ground and throwing her forward.

Her face struck the pavement first.

The impact rendered her unconscious almost immediately. Video evidence reviewed by attorneys shows that prior to the takedown, Causor had no visible injuries. Immediately afterward, she was bleeding heavily from her face and remained motionless on the ground.

Emergency response did not follow immediately in the footage. Instead, Causor was placed into a police vehicle. According to the lawsuit, she regained consciousness while the vehicle was already in transit on a freeway. Disoriented and covered in blood, she reportedly asked the officer what had happened. She was told that she had “fallen.”

Medical records later revealed the severity of her injuries. Causor suffered a traumatic brain injury, required eight stitches under her chin, and sustained a dislocated wrist and back injuries. She also reported ongoing headaches and cognitive difficulties in the months following the incident.

Despite these findings, the lawsuit alleges that Officer Tubbs provided a consistent but false explanation of the injuries to multiple individuals. Statements given to Causor’s grandmother, aunt, mother, and even the treating physician reportedly attributed her condition to the earlier altercation inside the store rather than the police encounter in the parking lot.

Officer Cynthia Guillen, who was present during the arrest and subsequent interactions, is named as a co-defendant in the lawsuit for failing to intervene and for not correcting the alleged misinformation.

The case has drawn additional attention due to Officer Tubbs’ prior record. In 2023, he was involved in a separate incident that resulted in a settlement of approximately $4.9 million paid by the city of San Bernardino. That settlement was finalized in 2025—the same year as Causor’s arrest—raising questions about departmental oversight and accountability.

Civil rights attorney Tony Geramilla, representing the Causor family, described the incident at an April 2026 press conference as both excessive and deliberate. He emphasized that the consistency of the alleged false statements suggested not a momentary error but a sustained effort to mischaracterize the cause of injury.

A lawsuit filed in San Bernardino County Superior Court in April 2026 names Officer Tubbs, Officer Guillen, and the City of San Bernardino as defendants. The claims include excessive force, assault, battery, negligence, and violations of California civil rights statutes, including the Bane Act and the Ralph Act.

All charges initially brought against Causor—reportedly including trespassing and attempted fighting—have since been dropped.

Causor, now 18, appeared publicly during the press conference and described the lasting impact of the incident. She stated that she continues to experience daily headaches and does not feel fully recovered. Her request, she said, is simple: accountability.

The San Bernardino Police Department has declined to comment on the case, citing ongoing litigation.

The incident has fueled broader discussions about police conduct, particularly in cases involving minors and the use of force without clear verbal commands. Advocacy groups have pointed to the presence of multiple video recordings as a key factor preventing the case from being dismissed or mischaracterized.

Legal analysts note that the outcome of this case could have significant implications, not only for the individuals involved but also for departmental policies regarding use of force, body camera transparency, and internal accountability mechanisms.

As the case proceeds through the courts, it remains a focal point in the national conversation about policing standards and civil rights protections.

As the lawsuit moves forward, internal records, prior complaints, and additional footage are expected to surface—potentially revealing whether this incident was an isolated failure or part of a deeper, systemic pattern within the department. Part 2 will examine what investigators uncover behind closed doors.