Watch terrifying video of police officer slamming into Arizona robbery suspect [VIDEO]

Watch terrifying video of police officer slamming into Arizona robbery suspect [VIDEO]

The suspect had been walking around with a rifle and alternately either pointing it at his own throat or firing it in the air, police said.

A dramatic video captures the moment when a police cruiser slams into an armed robbery suspect, throwing him into the air.

The police officer has been cleared of wrongdoing in the crash and the man survived the incident, which took place on Feb. 19 when police responded to a report of an armed robbery and found him walking down the street pointing a rifle at his own throat, according to an Associated Press report.

The video, which was released this week, is getting extra scrutiny over concerns about police brutality, especially of minorities. Mario Valencia, a 36-year-old who is described in the video as being hispanic, faces felony charges including assault of a police officer.

Valencia is accused of robbing a convenience store in Tucson, and then breaking into a church and a home, and stealing a car, which he drove to a town just north of Tucson and stole a rifle from a Walmart.

Video was released from two different police cruisers, one from the officer that made the initial contact with the suspect and the other from the car that ended up striking Valencia. The first video shows Valencia walkign down a street with a rifle in his hands, pointing the rifle into his throat as the officer slowly follows him.

Seconds after the man shot the rifle in the area, a different officer swings around the first officer and drives his patrol car at high speed into Valencia, sending him flying. Officers quickly descend on him after that.

The officer who strike him is Michael Rapiejko, who had been put on administrative leave as is standard practice. He has been cleared of wrongdoing and has since returned to the force.

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