Hagerstown Police Chief Victor Brito is defending his department in a case involving an officer using pepper spray on a 15-year-old girl.

A cellphone video of the incident posted to Facebook on Tuesday by the girl’s attorney drew swift criticism. “This little girl, 5 ft. 105 lbs, was brutalized by Hagerstown police after, she, on her bike, was hit by a car, but refused medical treatment,” her attorney wrote.

Police dispute several aspects of the account. “She was uncooperative,” Brito repeatedly said at a press conference this afternoon, saying the girl kicked an officer and knocked off his body-worn camera.

The incident took place on Sunday around 2:30 p.m., according to Brito, after police responded to the scene of a traffic incident. A driver claimed that the teen ignored a traffic signal and rode her bicycle into his car.

She denied medical care and when police tried to question her, she rode away. Brito said that because she was part of the traffic investigation, she was not allowed to leave the scene. Therefore, he said, his officers had to stop her. Eventually two officers handcuffed the girl and carried her into a cruiser. Once she was already in the vehicle, another officer pepper sprayed the girl.

Brito insisted this afternoon that officers used the minimum amount of force necessary and “responded within the guidelines of the Hagerstown Police Department and their policy.” The officers involved remain on duty, according to Fox 5.

About 50 demonstrators gathered yesterday in the city, which is about 70 miles west of Baltimore, partly blocking traffic and urging cars to honk their horns in protest of what they saw was unwarranted force, according to Fox 5. Organizer Leon Racks said someone must be held accountable for what he considers police misconduct.

Later that evening, police put a 14-minute video on the department’s Facebook page, which was taken from two police body-worn cameras. “I saw on social media and other places that there were a number of different misnomers and mistruths that were being characterized regarding this particular incident,” Brito said, explaining why he released the footage.

From the video, Brito said that viewers could see that the girl was “placed” onto a wall, not slammed, and that she was sprayed once, not four times, which were allegations posted to social media by the teen’s attorney.

She’s being charged with assault, disorderly conduct, and possession of marijuana.

Brito’s explanation hasn’t fully quelled the outrage and protesters have gathered once again in the city.

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