Police Officer Indicted for Choking Teen and Disabling Body Camera in Herzliya
An indictment has been filed against police officer Amir Mazigit for allegedly choking an 18-year-old at a Herzliya care home, threatening him with a Taser, and turning off his body camera to cover up the assault.
An indictment has been filed against an Israel Police officer who allegedly assaulted an 18-year-old resident at a care facility in Herzliya, choked him, threatened him with a Taser, and turned off his body-worn camera to conceal the incident.
The officer, identified as Amir Mazigit, was on duty approximately 11 months ago when he was dispatched to the Herzliya facility following reports of a young resident behaving disruptively and holding a sewing awl. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with the facility's counselors, who requested that he deter the young man from further disruptions.
The Assault and Camera Deactivation
According to the indictment filed by the Police Internal Investigations Department (PIID/Machash), the officer wore an active police body camera when he approached the youth and asked to be taken to his room to discuss the earlier incident. Upon entering the room, the youth sarcastically remarked:
"This is my room. Welcome. Do you need something? Need some clothes? Need some shoes?"
At this point, the indictment states that Officer Mazigit deliberately turned off his body camera to prevent the recording of what was about to transpire. He then allegedly grabbed the youth without legal authority, shoved him onto the bed, and choked him by the neck with his left hand until the victim struggled to breathe.
Taser Threats and Cover-up Attempt
The indictment further details that the officer slapped the youth on his left cheek, pressed a Taser gun against his head, and unlawfully threatened to electrocute him. Only after completing these actions did the officer turn his body camera back on.
Following the incident, Mazigit allegedly authored an official police activity report in which he documented the encounter but intentionally omitted any mention of the physical violence he had deployed.
The state prosecution asserts that the officer unlawfully assaulted the teenager, threatened physical harm, and acted with the intent to obstruct justice. He is charged with three offenses: assault, obstruction of justice, and making unlawful threats.
