Wilmington police reviewing video of physical altercation during traffic stop

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Wilmington Police Department is reviewing an incident involving an officer and a man after video posted to social media showed a physical altercation during a traffic stop.

Video recorded by a resident Thursday shows officers arriving at 510 Maides Avenue and telling the occupants of a vehicle they smelled marijuana.

Officers then appear to order the occupants out of the car. The video shows Antwan Greene confronting officers in his driveway and demanding answers. After a verbal exchange, the encounter escalates, with an officer appearing to slam Greene to the ground.

Greene said he was not trying to escalate the situation but was attempting to back away from the officer.

“I wasn’t trying to progress the situation. I was just trying to remove myself, just back up, so he wouldn’t grab me,” Greene said.

Greene said he is dealing with a scar on his left hand and bruising on his neck and the left side of his body.

Greene and his cousin, Isiah Hill, who posted the video on social media, deny smoking marijuana. They also allege the incident is part of a pattern of harassment by the Wilmington Police Department.

However, court records indicate Hill was charged with marijuana possession in June.

WWAY contacted the Wilmington Police Department, which declined to comment on camera but provided a statement about the video.

“We are aware of a video circulating on social media of an interaction between a WPD officer and another individual. Short social media clips do not portray the entirety of a situation and only show a small portion of everything that occurred. The circumstances surrounding this particular arrest are being reviewed. We recognize the public interest in this incident and are committed to providing information as we are able to.”