Video appears to show Ocean City officer punch restrained vaping suspect in the face

OCEAN CITY, Md. — The family of a D.C. man claims he was brutalized by Ocean City, Maryland Police who were trying to enforce a ban against vaping on the Boardwalk.

The city has already faced lawsuits for allegations of brutality after apparently similar arrests in 2021.

It was a Wednesday night arrest captured on video and posted to YouTube. Ocean City Police restraining 34-year-old Dezel Elam Ruff on the Boardwalk near 10th street.

Dezel Elam Ruff’s friends loudly object when a punch is thrown.

His parents, Patricia Elam Walker and Coles Ruff, both attorneys, talked about the arrest in a Zoom call.

"He could have been killed," his father said.

His mother said, "I felt – I felt, you know, his fear. I felt my fear. I felt how close we were to possibly losing him."

“Seeing him on the ground, seeing the policeman punching him – he's on the ground, they're holding him down. He's not moving. He's not a threat. So why was that necessary?” Walker said. "Just – it just infuriated me and saddened me, and it just made me feel like this cannot keep happening." 

Dezel Elam Ruff, who’s LinkedIn page says he's a regional golf coach, was taken to the ground by police for allegedly defying the town’s ban on vaping on the Boardwalk and refusing to stop for officers trying to enforce the ban, according to court documents in the case.

Police claim Dezel Elam Ruff “intentionally smoked his vape” after being told about the ordinance, refused to stop when ordered, and then resisted arrest.

Police did not account for the punch that appeared to be thrown.

Dezel Elam Ruff was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting/interfering with an arrest, 2nd-degree assault, and failure to provide proof of identification – all misdemeanors.

The arrest comes after similar videos and claims of brutality in 2021, that resulted in NAACP threats of a boycott in Ocean City.

After a review, Ocean City Police found no wrongdoing by their officers in those incidents.

The suspects in the cases received fines on reduced charges and no jail time.

In a statement about Wednesdays incident police said: “Our officers are permitted to use force, per their training, to overcome exhibited resistance. All uses of force go through a detailed review process.”

Dezel Elam Ruff’s parents are not impressed.

Coles Ruff said, "It was just brutality. So I'm, I'm concerned that this is a pattern that's going on in Ocean City."

In its written statement, Ocean City stands by its vaping and smoking restrictions on the Boardwalk, saying the ordinance is designed to “keep our beautiful beach clean.”