MINNEAPOLIS — A Minneapolis police sergeant and SWAT officer — apparently angered by a loud cellphone conversation — is accused of punching a man in the head at an Andover bar and seriously injuring him, authorities said Monday.
Sgt. David Clifford, the executive officer of the Minneapolis Police SWAT unit, was in jail Monday while the Anoka County Attorney's Office reviewed the case for possible charges.
"You wouldn't think a police officer would behave in this way," said Anoka County Sheriff's Cmdr. Paul Sommer. "It's kind of a shock to our system."
Sommer said the victim, 34-year-old Brian Keith Vanderlee, of Ramsey, was on life support Monday morning after two brain surgeries. The hospital would not release information about Vanderlee's condition.
Sommer said video surveillance from Saturday night shows that Clifford and Vanderlee were seated at adjacent patio tables at Tanners Station, a steakhouse and restaurant.
Sommer said Vanderlee was apparently talking loudly on his cellphone to a friend who was in the parking lot when Clifford got up and walked over. Sommer said the video shows Clifford appeared to say something to Vanderlee, who was still on his phone.
As Vanderlee was about to get to his feet, Sommer said, "Clifford strikes him with a closed fist, just once in the head."
Vanderlee fell backward and may have hit his head on concrete, Sommer said.
"From what I saw, there was no fight," Sommer said. "It was a one-sided assault."
Clifford, 47, of Andover, fled on foot. He turned himself in Sunday afternoon.
Clifford has been placed on home assignment, and there is an internal investigation, Minneapolis police spokesman Bill Palmer said.
Palmer said Clifford joined the Minneapolis department in 1993 and has been a SWAT officer since the mid-1990s. He has no disciplinary action in his file, and has received two medals of valor and other awards. He was promoted to sergeant in 2008.
He also has worked for the United Nations as a police officer in Kosovo, Palmer said.
Information from: St. Paul Pioneer Press, http://www.twincities.com