Police officer arrested for allegedly throwing a teen over a bridge

The police officer, in Santiago, Chile, accused of throwing a 16-year-old boy over a bridge and into a river, has been arrested.

People are seen in a cloud of tear gas during a protest against Chile’s government on Friday[Ivan Alvarado/Reuters]

The alleged incident took place, on Friday, during a protest over Chile's economic crisis.

The 16-year-old teen survived the fall but sustained trauma to the head and a fracture on one wrist. Health authorities say he’s expected to make a full recovery without any complications.

Charges on the officer's alleged actions are yet to be announced. But already, Santiago’s chief of police is declaring the officer’s innocence, saying the teenager simply lost his balance while the officer in question attempted to arrest him.

Protesters gathered outside the boy’s clinic, on Saturday, rebuking the chief’s remarks shouting “He did not fall, they threw him,” chants.

The North Central Prosecutor’s Office of Santiago has vowed to file an attempted murder charge against the accused officer.

Protests over Chile’s economy first began last year. Since then, approximately 31 people have died and allegations of human rights violations, by the police, have been filed.

By: Niza Nondo