WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. — A West Memphis man recounts the moment he says he was beaten by undercover law enforcement officers Saturday night.   

Michael Grant talked with us over Zoom from his hospital bed in Regional One Medical Center three days after he says he was kicked, stomped, and punched by West Memphis Narcotics Officers. 

“I thought they was gonna kill me. I thought they was gonna kill me. I didn’t think I was gonna survive,” he said. “I can’t even get no sleep. I can’t turn over. The tube is supposed to be draining blood, because they said the police punctured my lungs and broke my ribs.”

The 32-year-old said it was around 9 or 10 Saturday night when the undercover officers showed up to the Courtyard Apartments on Walker, where Grant was hanging out with a group of friends. 

Grant said everyone in the group took off, not knowing at the time the people approaching were undercover cops. But he said he had bronchitis, and couldn’t keep up. 

“When the officers got to me, they told me to put my hands up. I put my hands up, I got on the ground. And as soon as I hit the ground, the narcotics officers started stomping me in my stomach and my back and in my side,” he said. “I didn’t even feel like they was the police. I felt like they were a gang of people trying to hurt me.”

He said he had surgery for a punctured lung. 

Grant said as the officers beat him, they kept saying the name of another man. He wonders if this is a case of mistaken identity, but West Memphis Police said that is unlikely because Grant is known to police. 

Chief Robinn Campbell confirmed some type of confrontation happened Saturday night and Grant was released with a citation. He said EMS was called for a man complaining of trouble breathing and added they are still investigating the details. 

“I just want everybody to know that don’t think you can’t become a victim of police brutality because it can happen in the snap of a second,” Grant said.

Grant said doctors expect him to be in the hospital at least through the week. 

Meanwhile, West Memphis Police said they are working on obtaining video of the incident to get a clearer idea of what happened.