A Kansas police officer was recorded kneeing a man in the face by onlookers. Working as an off-duty security guard in Kansas City, he now faces a civil lawsuit by the man and criminal charges for kneeing him while he was restrained. The incident occurred in July 2024.
Christopher Showalter, the police officer in question, will be in court on July 15 for a fourth-degree assault charge. This may face a $2000 fine and jail for up to one year. Similar incidents have happened in the past and considered to be assault.
His charges include causing physical pain to the victim William Michael Hardy. He slammed his face on the sidewalk and did not allow him to get up. Due to the force from his knee, he was lying on his stomach. There is a recording of the incident by the onlookers who were stunned to see the situation.
They exclaimed in disbelief “What? What the **** was that for?” This happened on July 6, at 40th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. The police officer told him to halt at the screening area while riding his bicycle. But Hardy argues there were no barricades at that time.
“‘We Were All Just Pretty Stunned’: Kansas City Police Officer Caught on Video Kneeing Man in the Face While He’s Handcuff and Lying on His Stomach. Now Cop Is Facing Double Consequences” on SmartNews: https://t.co/nMITvtw3l8
— What now? 😶 (@sggomg) July 15, 2025
The video is pretty jarring to watch as Hardy is helpless on the road while several officers are surrounding him. He was already in restraints, so he did not need any further physical restraint to get him to comply. The violence was totally unnecessary.
He ended up with a laceration on his chin; hence, he was sent to the hospital for treatment. Besides, he filed a lawsuit for assault, battery, and false imprisonment. Showwalter’s employer, a private security firm, Chesley Brown International, is also named for supervising him.
View this post on Instagram
They should have considered him liable for his actions, but failed to take any action. Moreover, Showalter and others removed him from his bike forcibly and escalated the matter to physical harm.
Since the Kansas police department was named in the matter, they did not comment on the issue to not impact the investigation. They wish to ensure fairness for all when asked about the lawsuit and the incident.
