Investigation underway after Norristown officer hits naked man with police car

An investigation is being conducted by the Montgomery County Detective Bureau after a police officer was caught on camera hitting a naked man who was standing in the middle of an intersection in Norristown, according to a spokesperson for the Municipality of Norristown.

Officers from the Norristown Police Department were called to the intersection of Stanbridge and West Airy streets around 8 a.m. on Feb. 4, 2026, after receiving reports of a naked person standing in the way of traffic, officials said.

According to police, a man not wearing any clothing was seen vandalizing a parked car and hitting cars that were passing by him, which was creating a dangerous environment for the community.

While officers were at the scene, one of the marked police cars was then captured on camera hitting the person, officials said. That video has since gone viral.

The man was then seen in the video flying several feet before falling to the ground.

Once on the ground, officers surrounded him and were able to restrain him before giving him medical attention, officials said.

“The events depicted in this video are very concerning and a full investigation is underway,” the spokesperson for the Municipality of Norristown wrote in a statement.

The officer driving the car was placed on administrative leave.

In an update on Feb. 5, a spokesperson for the Municipality of Norristown shared in a statement that an independent investigation is being conducted by the Montgomery County Detective Bureau.

The statement read in part:

“We are deeply concerned by the video and reports regarding the Feb. 4, 2026 incident involving a member of the Norristown Police Department. The situation shown is troubling and does not reflect the standards of professionalism and care our community expects from those entrusted with public safety. An independent investigation is being conducted by the Montgomery County Detective Bureau. It is important that this process proceed thoroughly and without interference so that all facts can be determined. Our thoughts are with the individual involved, who was clearly experiencing a serious crisis. Every person in our community deserves to be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect—especially in moments of extreme vulnerability.”

Community comes together for town hall

It was a packed room on Thursday, Feb. 5 at the Norristown Municipal Building as angry and concerned residents demanded answers from town leaders during a town hall.

Dozens showed up looking for accountability from the Norristown Police Department.

Pastor Scott Dorsey was one of the many residents voicing his concerns about that some in the community say is a lack of trust in the police department.

“I want to know what happened. What was in the police person’s mind to do such an act when there’s other things like a taser and other ways,” Pastor Dorsey said. “My hope is that we can see what the current policy is, why this person did what they did and create better policies to help those who are in mental health because it’s a huge issue in our community.

Norristown Police Chief Michael Trail emphasized that all of the officers are trained to respond to people experiencing mental distress.

Chris Trail reassured the community that the department will participate in the independent investigation looking into use of force was appropriate in this case.

NBC10’s Brian Sheehan spoke with Corey Jones of Safetyman Consulting about this officer-involved incident after reviewing the video.

“After looking at the video, it does not appear that the individual was armed,” Jones shared. “He was standing by himself, not near anybody in the middle of an intersection. There appear to be some bystanders and police officers there and you see a vehicle coming from the left of the screen to the center screen, striking the male.”

Jones said that, from the video, it does not appear that any movement by the man posed a threat to the striking officer or the other officers.

Jones added, “We have to allow for the fact that it could have been a motor vehicle accident. We know that it was snowy, potentially icy around. We have to allow for the fact that the officer maybe lost control.”

Jones also touched on the possibility of “brake fade,” which occurs when the braking system in a police vehicle stops working properly due to overheating,

“It can make it more difficult to stop the vehicle on a dime,” Jones said.