Body-worn camera footage released with a federal lawsuit shows a Covington, Kentucky, police officer yanking a woman’s arm from behind during a response last year, an action the suit says caused an audible snap and left the woman screaming in pain.
The woman, identified in court filings as 34-year-old Kathleen Keitz, was sitting in her vehicle outside a store after receiving news of her boyfriend’s infidelity when officers arrived to check on her welfare following a report that she was suicidal, the complaint says. Officer Douglas Ullrich is shown on the bodycam tapping on the car window and ordering Keitz to step out so officers could search the vehicle for weapons. Keitz told the officers she was fine and asked to be left alone; Ullrich is heard saying, "If you don't step out, I am going to pull you out of the car, and I really don't want to do that," according to the footage cited in the lawsuit.
The suit alleges that after Keitz exited the vehicle quickly, Ullrich and a colleague grabbed her wrists and restrained her. Ullrich told her, "I'm just trying to take control of you because you're acting crazy," before apparently yanking her left arm while another officer held her right arm. The bodycam captures what the complaint describes as an audible snap; Ullrich is heard saying "oh s***" and Keitz cries out in pain, the filing says.
The lawsuit also alleges that Ullrich had previously boasted, "I violate every policy," a claim the complaint cites in arguing the officer's conduct reflected a disregard for departmental rules. The filing describes the encounter as an excessive use of force during a mental health welfare check and seeks damages for Keitz's injuries and the alleged constitutional violations.
Keitz’s attorneys filed the complaint in federal court; the lawsuit and the bodycam footage were first reported by media outlets covering the filing. The Covington Police Department has not publicly released the full bodycam video, and department officials did not immediately comment in media reports about the specific allegations or whether any internal investigation or disciplinary action has been taken.
The case comes amid broader national scrutiny of police responses to mental health crises and use-of-force practices. Civil rights lawyers and advocates have frequently called for alternative responses to nonviolent welfare checks and for stricter oversight of officers who respond to calls involving individuals in distress. Lawsuits alleging excessive force captured on body-worn cameras have prompted policy reviews and, in some jurisdictions, settlements and changes to training and use-of-force rules.
The lawsuit seeks accountability for Keitz’s injuries and aims to address what her attorneys describe as a pattern of misconduct. The legal process, including any potential criminal investigation or civil settlement, will determine whether the department and the courts find the officers' actions unlawful or a violation of policy.