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ALLENTOWN - An Allentown police officer is facing charges after an investigation found he assaulted a suspect who was surrendering after a police chase last summer.
What we know:
Officer Abviud Carvajal, 31, is accused of striking Thomas Kravitz with the muzzle of his gun following a police chase that stemmed from a domestic call.
Investigators say Kravitz's girlfriend called police after he threatened to kill her over the phone and sent her photos of himself with a firearm.
When officers saw Kravitz truck approach his girlfriend's house, investigators say he fled and struck an Allentown Police vehicle as he drove away.
A pursuit through Allentown into Whitehall Township ended when Kravitz crashed his truck near the intersection of 13th and Pennsylvania streets.
Police say body camera video shows Carvajal with his gun drawn as he approached Kravitz, who was "in a position of surrender with both hands raised and empty."
"From the body camera footage, it is clear that Kravitz was empty-handed and surrendering to officers," a press release said.
Investigators say Kravitz was visible to Carvajal for several seconds before the officer struck Kravitz in the face with the muzzle of his gun, knocking him to the ground.
Kravitz was taken to a local hospital for treatment of injuries he suffered from being struck in the face by Carvajal's gun, authorities said.
Officers later found a loaded .22 caliber handgun on Whitehall Street that Kravitz is believed to have thrown out the window during the police chase.
What they're saying:
"From the body camera footage, it is clear that Kravitz was empty-handed and surrendering to officers," the Lehigh County Prosecutor's Office said Wednesday. "He remained standing with his empty hands over his head as Carvajal approached."
What's next:
Carvajal has been charged with a felony count of aggravated assault and a misdemeanor charge of simple assault.
He remains free on $25,000 bail and is due back in court in January.
Kravitz was charged with several felony and misdemeanor charges, including illegal possession of a firearm and fleeing the police.