Instagram/Adonis Tuggle Jon Selke and Adonis Tuggle
Jon Selke is a Purdue University police officer in Indiana who was captured in a viral video during an incident in a snowbank with student Adonis Tuggle. You can watch the video later in this article.
John Cox, Purdue University police chief, wrote in a statement that Purdue University police “became aware Friday night (Feb. 4) of an incident that occurred that evening involving a Purdue police officer who responded to an urgent call from a third party following our ‘see something, say something’ campus safety guidance. The caller stated that it appeared a woman was being held against her will near Horticulture Drive.”
The Exponent named the officer as Selke and said he is on leave and that the department has received death threats.
Purdue University is located in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Here’s what you need to know:
The Student Accused Selke of Punching Him Repeatedly & Smothering His Face in the Snow
The video, which Tuggle posted on his Instagram page, shows the officer on top of the student in a snowbank.
“Step back,” the officer says in the video.
“You are hurting me,” the student says.
“You’ve been disrespectful this whole time, bro,” he says.
The officer told a woman that he would tase her. “You’re choking me,” the student shouted.
“Get your elbow off his neck,” a woman screamed.
The caption on the Instagram video by Purdue University student Adonis Tuggle reads,
I NEED HELP!!! Please share this to as many ppl as possible and spread the news. Officer Jon Selke of Purdue Police punched me repeatedly, elbowed me in the face, smothered my face into the snow, and choked me with his elbow while having me pinned to the ground the entire time. Purdue police refuse to give me body cam footage and have concluded Officer Selke “did no wrong”. Help me get justice and hold this man accountable. #blacklivesmatter#blackhistorymonth
Any time “a PUPD officer uses force in connection with an arrest, the department conducts an internal review,” the chief wrote. “PUPD commenced that review, led by Deputy Chief Lesley Wiete immediately upon receiving the officer’s report on Friday night. That investigation will, under PUPD General Orders, include input from all witnesses to the arrest and take into account all available evidence, including video from officers’ body-worn cameras and statements from the students involved. No physical injuries were suffered in the incident.”
The chief continued, “Purdue police take incidents such as this seriously. The video from body-worn cameras will be made available as will all findings and evidence from the internal review when complete.”
Purdue University Says It Has Ordered an Investigation
Pursue University’s President Mitch Daniels released a lengthy statement:
There are no subjects Purdue takes more seriously than campus safety, student well-being, and proper police conduct. On Friday evening, Feb. 4, police received a bystander report of a suspected assault on a woman, prompting an officer’s urgent response.
Immediately upon learning of the use of force during our police officer’s response, we ordered an investigation, including not only the required review of the officer’s actions as is standard procedure under Purdue University Police policies, but also witness interviews and a release of all video evidence, including body-worn and in-car camera footage.
The inquiry into the police officer’s handling of the situation will be swift and thorough. As an additional step, following the internal review, the Indiana State Police will immediately commence an independent review of the PUPD investigation and video evidence. Should there be a finding of misconduct by the officer, appropriate action will be taken promptly.
In the spirit of transparency, once the Purdue Police and Indiana State Police reviews are complete, all findings and evidence, including all video evidence from body-worn cameras, in-car camera footage, dispatch calls and witness interviews, will be made available.
We ask for your patience as the investigation moves forward and again, will communicate findings as soon as they are available.”
Note: As part of Purdue’s campus response, the Office of the Dean of Students, Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging, and office of Counseling and Psychological Services are providing resources and support for students who were involved or affected.
Selke’s Facebook page appeared to be deleted. Selke is listed as one of the department’s six officers in its staff directory. A Change.org petition is calling for Selke to be fired as a result of the incident.
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