Authorities in Greenville South Carolina are reviewing a video of an arrest made at a Walmart on Saturday, where it appears police officers used excessive force to detain a man believed to be under the influence.
The police report describes a male customer was acting erratically outside of the store and appeared to be intoxicated or on drugs. The man told a responding deputy “I’m 911,” before he entered the store – which prompted officers to take him into custody. According to Greenville County Master Deputy Jonathan Smith, one officer tasered the man when he resisted arrest.
Shoppers recorded the incident with their cell phones. The man was lying in the front of the store as police began wrestling with him. One officer can be seen repeatedly punching him in the head and neck area while customers were shouting and begging him to stop. One shopper was heard saying, “Please don’t punch him like that. Please don’t. Don’t punch him no more.”
One witness said he believed the police went too far.
“There were a lot of women in tears saying ‘hey, stop stop,” said David Chimera. “There was no call for that, I don’t know why they did it.”
Authorities say the unidentified man was taken to a Greenville hospital for observation.
Smith said the cell phone videos and store security footage will be reviewed by investigators and there will be no official comment until the review is complete.
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Kimberley A. Johnson (BIO) is the author of AMERICAN WOMAN The Poll Dance: Women and Voting & The Virgin Diaries and an activist for women’s rights. Like her on Facebook, Twitter or follow her on FB HERE. |
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