US race row cop resigns

The Texas police officer at the centre of the pool party controversy has handed in his resignation, officials have announced.

Eric Casebolt, who was filmed drawing his gun on a group of black youths at a swimming pool and forcing one of them to the ground, tendered his resignation on Tuesday afternoon.

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Casebolt had been on suspension after footage of the incident at the pool in McKinney went viral. Many parents and community activists had demanded that he be fired.

The incident also reopened a national conversation about the way some police officers deal with black suspects.

Police Corporal Eric Casebolt was “out of control” in his response to the pool party disturbance last week in the city north of Dallas, McKinney Police Chief Greg Conley told reporters on Tuesday evening.

“He came into the call out of control and as the video shows was out of control during the incident,” Mr Conley said, according to Reuters.

Tatyana Rhodes, one of the teenager who was present and who was a friend of the girl pushed to the floor, told CNN she was glad the officer had resigned.

“I hope my friend gets over this,” she added.

Meanwhile, the teenager whose cellphone video of a melee at a Texas pool party was seen around the world, told US media he believes racism was a factor in the heavyhanded police response.

Brandon Brooks, 15, who is white, was at the party with several black friends who he said were treated more harshly by police trying to restore order.

News reports said the video Brooks shot of the chaos after fighting broke out Friday at a private community pool in McKinney, Texas has been seen nearly 11 million times.