FBI probes allegations of youngsters

The FBI has launched an investigation into the allegations of several Las Vegas youngsters that two Metro Police officers earlier this month used ethnic slurs against them while they waited at a school bus stop and then broke a 12-year-old boy's arm.

Officers Kerry Ruesch, 41, and Robert Schmidt, 36, have been accused by 12-year-old Parrish "Pookie" Young Jr. and his friends of using racially derogatory terms and of breaking Young's arm when slamming him against a patrol car.

Special Agent Kevin Caudle said that agents have been interviewing various people related to the case for the past week.

"We are talking to people, but that doesn't mean anything is wrong," Caudle said.

Authorities are barred by law from identifying any person who reports civil rights violations to the Bureau, and Caudle similarly could not comment on the person whose accusations precipitated the investigation into the Parrish Young incident. The person's name, however, could emerge if the case winds up in court.

Caudle explained that the FBI will launch a preliminary investigation into alleged civil rights violations when a complaint is made, or when enough public information is available from sources such as newspaper articles to warrant special examination.

Young's arm was broken Feb. 3 when police took him into custody and cited him for resisting arrest and impeding traffic.

The boy and his friends were waiting for a school bus about 7 a.m. that day at Mojave Road near Charleston Boulevard when a kid in the crowd tossed a can of potato chips into the road.

Young and another boy told authorities that they ran into the road to retrieve the can. A motorist stopped and yelled at the kids to stay out of the street. Seconds later a Metro patrol car and an unmarked police vehicle pulled up.

At least two children are believed to have shouted profanities at the officers.

The two Metro officers -- one in uniform, the other in street clothes -- allegedly ordered Young to come over to them. Young has reported that he dropped his school books and walked toward the officers when one of the officers grabbed him and slammed him against the patrol car. The boy's arm was broken when the officers tried to immobilize him to make the arrest.

Young was treated and released from University Medical Center later that day.

Two weeks have passed since the incident, yet the department has not received any complaints from the boy or his family, according to Officer Steve Meriwether, Metro spokesman.

The FBI interviews witnesses and victims when performing a preliminary investigation, and then submits the findings to the Department of Justice's civil rights division for review and direction -- a process that can take months.

"We get complaints certainly weekly if not more often," Caudle said when asked about accusations made to the bureau against Metro Police. He speculated that as many as 50 complaints are investigated a year.

"There are more complaints than investigations. We take all complaints we get legitimately."

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