A La Mesa police officer has been reassigned during the investigation into the officer's actions while removing a student from the campus of a local high school.
Scott Wulfing, a 9-year veteran of the La Mesa Police Department (LMPD), handcuffed a 17-year-old female student and was in the process of removing her from Helix Charter High School when the student appeared to pull away from the officer.
The video that was originally shared through Snapchat shows the student “being taken to the ground” after attempting to break free from Wulfing at about 1:30 p.m. Friday, according to La Mesa Police Department Lt. Chad Bell.
The teenager was under suspension but was on campus Friday for unknown reasons, Bell said.
School officials called Wulfing, who asked the student twice to leave school grounds but she refused, Bell said.
The teenager received minor scrapes in the altercation, Bell said. Wulfing was not injured.
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Bell said the use of force was used “to prevent the student from escaping.”
Wulfing was reassigned to administrative duties while the incident is under investigation, Bell said.
Helix Charter High School students on Wednesday marched about a mile from campus grounds to LMPD headquarters on University Avenue. Upon arrival, the approximately 20 students approached the front door of the department.
The students each taped a sign on the front door. "We will not settle for Reassignment. We Demand Suspension," the signs read.
A similar rallying cry was heard at outside of Helix Charter High School on Monday. During the rally, some students demanded the officer be removed from his position and asked that policies be put in place to make sure a similar event does not happen again.
The family's attorney said the family is just looking for the truth.
"Right now we are in the fact-finding stage of this," the family's attorney Troy Owens told NBC 7. "This definitely isn’t a family that is hungry for money or out for any publicity or anything; they have not even taken part in the public displays that have gone on. Right now we’re all trying to get to the bottom, trying to get to the truth."
The attorney previously said the family was not prepared to speak about the incident.
Kevin Osborn, Executive Director of Helix Charter High School, issued a statement Monday.
"Incidents involving students or student disciplinary matters are confidential," Osborn said. "As such, Helix Charter High School is not at liberty to discuss information regarding student incidents. We want to assure the community that actions taken by the School are guided by what is lawful and in the best interests of Helix Charter High School students, staff, and school community."
Helix Charter High School is located on University Avenue and is part of the Grossmont Union High School District.
