WATCH: Army Sergeant Charged With Assault of Black Man After Video Goes Viral
An Army sergeant has been charged with third-degree assault, after a viral video depicted the man screaming, threatening and shoving a black man in a South Carolina neighborhood.
Jonathan Pentland, 42, was charged and listed as 'Detained' in the Richland County Jail on Wednesday. He posted a a Personal Recognizance (PR) bond shortly thereafter and was released.
The video, which was posted to Facebook by a woman named Shirell Johnson, depicted a confrontation between Pentland and an unidentified black man.
The video starts mid-confrontation, with Pentland aggressively standing in front of the victim, continually telling him to "walk away."
"Go away right now," Pentland told the man.
"Call the police," the victim returned.
Another woman, who was identified in the video as Pentland's wife said "They've already been called. They're waiting. Maybe you should hang out a little longer and see how that goes."
The victim repeatedly told Pentland he was "just walking," but Pentland decided that was unacceptable in his neighborhood.
"What do you think you're doing here?" Pentland asked the man.
The man said his house was nearby and he was taking a walk.
When the victim attempted to speak to another witness, Pentland shoved him and began screaming at him.
"Walk away, you walk away," Pentland shouted in his army sergeant voice. "You're talking to my wife right now. Walk away. You need to walk away or I'm going to carry your ass out of here."
The victim then stated that he "didn't do anything," to which Pentland replied "I'm about to do something to you."
Pentland then told the man "You're in the wrong neighborhood mother-[expletive]."
When the victim told Pentland that he lived in the area, Pentland asked what his address was and offered to "walk [him] back to his house."
"I'm about to show you what I can do," Pentland said.
Johnson stated that authorities did arrive on the scene and issued a citation to Pentland, outlining malicious injury to property because he slapped a cellphone out of the victim's hand, cracking it.
The Associated Press reports that Pentland has been stationed at Fort Jackson since 2019 and has worked as a Drill Sergeant at a 53,000-acre complex, which trains 50% of all soldiers who enter the army each year.
Pentland did not respond to a request for comment.