This would have been a daunting situation for anyone, but Casebolt couldn’t have picked a less appropriate individual to subdue as an example to others. Many have asked: Didn’t he realize he was being filmed? As though, if only he’d known, he would have behaved better. The more compelling question to me is: What in the world was he thinking?

Obviously, Casebolt felt he had to take command of what appeared to be a chaotic situation. But we’ve reached a point where something has to be done, not only to better monitor police behavior but also to quell inevitable racial tensions.

Were Casebolt’s actions racially motivated? A black resident said no; a white resident said yes, according to CNN. The white teen who filmed the incident, partygoer Brandon Brooks, said police were targeting blacks. Benét Embry, a 43-year-old black resident, said the incident was not racially motivated.