New details have emerged about the mental state of the fourth-year student from the University of Western Ontario whose arrest last month went viral online in a YouTube video.
Campus police were called to deal with fourth-year student Irnes Zeljkovic after reports that he was acting disoriented and causing trouble in the Social Science Centre. According to a press release from the university, Zeljkovic went into an office and tried to force the professor to leave. Being unsuccessful, Zeljkovic then allegedly barricaded himself in a vacant room on the seventh floor.
Political science professor Dan Bousfield managed to get footage of the campus police attempting to restrain Zeljkovic and posted it on YouTube.
The video was shot seconds after the student allegedly lunged at an officer after not responding to orders to get down on the ground. It shows four officers holding the student on the ground and two more officers rushing to help the others.
Shouts of “Stop resisting! Stop resisting! You’re under arrest! Stop resisting!” can be clearly heard. The officers are using force in the video to restrain Zeljkovic and can be seen kneeing, clubbing and punching him.
Zeljkovic’s lawyer, Phillip Millar said there will be a civil lawsuit against the University of Western Ontario and the London Police Service, focusing on naming them as parties who should be held responsible in the beating.
It has not been confirmed whether Zeljkovic was drunk at the time, though Millar said “[Zeljkovic] kind of had a mental health issue on that day,” which was not a result of a preexisting condition.
The 22-year-old has been described as a good student, a family man and liked by his teachers.
Zeljkovic has been under psychiatric care at an undisclosed local hospital and has been undergoing medical assessment since the incident.
“He’s traumatized,” Millar said.
Pending a medical assessment of Zeljkovic, he may or may not be welcome back to the university, said Gitta Kulczycki, vice-president (resources and operations), citing safety for Zeljkovic, students and faculty.
His criminal charges must be dealt with before the civil action can commence. If the charges go to trial, it could take about a year for the case to be resolved.
Zeljkovic will appear in court Nov. 19 and has been charged with mischief, assaulting a peace officer, resisting arrest and escaping custody.