SHELBY, N.C. (WBTV) – A North Carolina police officer was fired after he appeared to straddle a woman and punch her repeatedly during an arrest in a now-viral video.
Viral doorbell camera video captured a Shelby police officer appearing to throw a woman to the ground and punch her repeatedly on Friday, May 29, before straddling her during an arrest.
Watch: Viral video appears to show police officer repeatedly punching woman during arrest in Shelby
In a news conference shared on social media at 10 a.m. Saturday, Shelby Police Chief Brad Fraser said the police officer seen hitting the woman was fired. The officer was previously placed on “administrative suspension.”
Fraser said the results of an internal investigation were turned over to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation for an “independent review of any criminal violations.”
City Manager Justin Merritt and Shelby Mayor Stan Anthony also spoke during the news conference about the “disturbing” arrest.
Viral video of the arrest, which appeared to come from a doorbell camera, circulated quickly online on Friday.
Officer seen punching woman while straddling her
The video appears to show a woman, who was later identified as Cherie Moore, grabbing the officer’s arm at the beginning of the video before the officer is seen throwing her to the ground.
The woman seemed to say, “I don’t have a warrant. What are you doing?”
The officer then appeared to punch the woman several times while straddling her. The woman can be heard exclaiming in pain and did not appear to fight back.
Read –> Shelby police officer seen punching woman amid arrest on leave, chief says
A second police officer was seen running towards the camera and appears to tell the other officer: “Let her go, let her go, I got her, I got her, I got her.” The first officer appeared to hit the woman even though the second officer told him to stop.
The second officer is then seen helping the woman up while the other officer grabs her other arm. They then appear to handcuff her.
The woman can be heard continuing to say that she does not have a warrant as officers “order her to put her hands behind her back.”
A fourth officer, who is in civilian clothes and not in uniform, appears and continues to tell the woman to put her hands behind her back as the woman is heard saying that she needs someone to call someone.
The woman can be heard asking officers to call her father, saying he is not taking his medication. She could be heard asking for help for her mental health at least once in the video.
The video, now viral, ends with the woman and four officers standing on the grass. It was not immediately clear if she was detained or what charges she might face.
One of the officers can be heard asking her to “stay still, stay still.”
The woman in the video was later identified as Cherie Moore and was charged with criminal trespass, resisting arrest and battery on a government official, according to jail records.
Officer previously placed on leave
Before being fired, the city of Shelby said in a one-minute news conference on social media that the officer was placed on administrative leave Friday after video of the arrest went viral online.
Hours later, protesters gathered in downtown Shelby Friday night to denounce the officer’s actions and call on the police department to take action.
In the one-minute news conference, Shelby Police Chief Brad Fraser provided the city’s first official statement in response to the viral video.
You can read the full statement below:
“First, I want to make it clear that inappropriate use of force is unacceptable and will not be tolerated by me, the Shelby Police Department, or the city of Shelby.”
Community trust is the cornerstone of any law enforcement agency. “When an incident occurs that undermines that trust, it affects all of us, both law enforcement officers and the citizens we serve.”
“Earlier today, officers with the Shelby Police Department were conducting a criminal investigation when they encountered a suspicious female in the area. As seen in the video currently circulating on social media, the actions taken by one officer during that encounter are disturbing and inappropriate. A second officer can be seen intervening to stop those actions.”
“The officer involved in this incident has been placed on administrative leave while our Office of Professional Standards conducts an internal investigation.”
“We understand the concerns this incident has caused within our community and want to assure the public that this matter is being taken seriously. The Shelby Police Department remains committed to professionalism, accountability and maintaining the trust of the community we serve.”
Sheriff’s Office says it is not related to the video
The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office shared two statements Friday clarifying that the officers seen in the video are not sheriff’s deputies.
“The conduct depicted is deeply troubling and does not reflect the standards expected of any law enforcement professional. Our comments are directed solely at the behavior seen on the video, not the Shelby Police Department as a whole,” a statement from the sheriff’s office on Friday said, in part.
“We are confident that the appropriate authorities will thoroughly review this incident to ensure transparency and accountability moving forward,” the statement said.
Copyright 2026 WBTV. All rights reserved.
