In Columbia, South Carolina, the white sheriff’s deputy who was caught on camera slamming an African-American high school student to the ground in her classroom has been fired. Ben Fields was a school resource officer at Spring Valley High School. Viral video shows him grabbing the student around her neck, flipping both her and her desk to the ground and then dragging her across the floor. The student was arrested. Another student who filmed the assault was also arrested and held on a $1,000 bail. The incident reportedly began when the student refused to give her teacher her phone, which then prompted the teacher to call for outside help. Soon Deputy Sheriff Fields came into the classroom to remove her. Classmates say Fields had a reputation as being aggressive with students, who had nicknamed him “Officer Slam.” Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott announced Fields’ termination Wednesday.

Sheriff Leon Lott: “When I first saw that video—and continues to upset me when I see that video—is the fact that he picked the student up and he threw the student across the room. That is not a proper technique and should not be used in law enforcement. And based on that, that is a violation of our policy, and approximately 20 minutes ago school resource officer Ben Fields was terminated from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.”

Officer Fields still does not face any criminal charges, though he is under federal investigation. The incident is the latest in a series of cases of police officers using excessive force against students in schools. In a recent exposé, Mother Jones documented many cases involving officers punching, tasing and even fatally shooting students. To see our full coverage of the issue nationwide, go to democracynow.org