Students at the University of Virginia are protesting the arrest of an African-American classmate shown bleeding profusely from the head after being slammed to the ground by state alcohol agents. Martese Johnson needed 10 stitches in his head. He was charged with obstruction of justice without force and public swearing or intoxication. Bryan Beaubrun, who took the now-viral photo of Johnson bleeding on the ground, said the agents pulled Johnson aside after he was denied entry to a bar. After Johnson tried to pull his arm away, they wrestled him down. State police have launched a probe at the request of Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and UVA President Teresa Sullivan, who said she was “disturbed” by the arrest video. Johnson’s attorney, Daniel Watkins, read a statement from his client.

Daniel Watkins: “I’m shocked that my face was slammed into the brick pavement just across the street from where I attend school. Three officers then pinned me to the ground, pressing their knees in my back, while blood flowed freely from the gash to my head. As the officers held me down, one thought raced through my mind: How could this happen? My head lay bloody, but unbowed.”

Last year, Virginia agreed to pay more than $200,000 in a lawsuit brought by another UVA student, who was arrested after state alcohol agents mistook the sparkling water she had purchased for beer. Elizabeth Daly called 911 and attempted to drive away in terror after the agents swarmed her car and pulled a gun. She pulled over after a 911 dispatcher confirmed the men were agents. Daly was charged with eluding police and assaulting an officer, but the charges were later dropped.