Purdue welcomes independent investigation of student’s arrest caught on video

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WISH) — Purdue University students are demanding change following the arrest of a student one week ago.

In addition, part of the arrest was captured on video and shared on social media.

Now, the arrest has raised questions about the police officer’s use of force.

The Purdue Black Student Union hosted a town hall meeting Thursday night, and students addressed how Officer Jon Selke of the Purdue University Police Department handled Adonis Tuggle during a police call caught on video. It shows Tuggle pinned under Selke’s body in the snow, with the officer’s forearm covering Tuggle’s face and neck.

It was an image that struck a chord with William Chapman, a junior at the university. “Being Black in America, we see our trauma perpetuated through entertainment, in television and music.”

The students also spoke about police brutality, excessive use of force, bodycam video, and the police department’s protocol and procedures.

While the university and its police department as well as Indiana State Police investigate what happened that night, the students are calling for transparency from the administration and Purdue’s police department.

Chapman said, “We want to converse and engage with our president. The people who are a part of the administration and the people a part of the Purdue University Police Department.”

State Rep. Chris Campbell attended the town hall to listen. Campbell in 2021 helped pass House Bill 1006, which addressed use-of-force and de-escalation training for law enforcement. The Democrat from West Lafayette said, “I have a lot of great concern about the direction we have allowed to continue without change. We are often told that the officer acted appropriately, and if this is appropriate, do we need to look at how these matters are handled?”

It’s still unclear what happened between Tuggle and Selke before the cellphone recording or even after the video ended.

The focus is on how the students move forward, with this video as the catalyst.

The state lawmaker said, “I would like the university administration to take these concerns very seriously and look at how the students are being treated in these situations. Maybe we should require additional training for an officer to be a part of the university. I think that is something Purdue University can determine and require at the university level.”

On Thursday night, Purdue police Chief John Cox placed Selke on leave because of death threats, the university said in a news release. He says his department will do an internal investigation and, upon its completion have the Indiana State Police review it.

In a statement Thursday from Purdue President Mitch Daniels, he said, “The inquiry into the police officer’s handling of the situation will be swift and thorough.”

On Friday night, the university issued another news release saying Purdue welcomes the Tippecanoe County prosecutor’s call for an independent investigation by Indiana State Police.

News release

“WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Tippecanoe County prosecutor has requested that the Indiana State Police conduct an independent investigation into events that occurred on the Purdue University campus on Feb. 4.

“Purdue welcomes the prosecutor’s action and believes it to be a positive step, having previously requested an independent review by the ISP.

“The ISP will independently review all evidence associated with the police call and response, including all available video evidence, witness statements, and police reports.

“All evidence and results of the ISP investigation will be turned over to the Tippecanoe County prosecutor upon its conclusion, at which time the prosecutor will review documentation resulting from the investigation.

“The ISP has already begun its work with the goal of completing a thorough investigation as soon as possible.

“To ensure the integrity of the investigation, the university will have no further comment or communication on the matter until its conclusion.”

Purdue University news release issued night of Feb. 11, 2022