Newly released bodycam footage from the Phoenix Police Department revealed the violent arrest of a Black man who is deaf and has cerebral palsy. The footage from Aug. 19 shows two officers, Benjamin Harris and Kyle Sue, punching and using a Taser on Tyron McAlpin.
Phoenix police say McAlpin was accused of punching another man at another location in an attempt to steal his bike.
Once Harris and Sue confronted McAplin, they said he took a “fighting stance.”
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After a struggle, Harris and Sue took McAlpin to the ground and handcuffed him while lying face down.
On Tuesday, Oct. 15, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office dropped the initial theft charges against McAlpin. He’s charged with two counts of aggravated assault and one count of resisting arrest, which multiple advocacy organizations are asking to be dropped.
The CEO of Disability Rights Arizona, J.J. Rico said the continued demands to comply were not being heard by McAlpin because he’s deaf. Harris and Sue claim they didn’t know about McAlpin being deaf or having cerebral palsy.
The Phoenix Police Department has been under scrutiny before with the U.S. Justice Department. It said the police department discriminated against minorities and used excessive force.
Harris and Sue have not been put on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
In a statement, the Phoenix Police Union urged the public not to jump to conclusions until all the evidence is reviewed.
[Lauren Taylor]
THERE ARE CALLS FOR JUSTICE AFTER NEWLY RELEASED BODYCAM FOOTAGE SHOWS THE VIOLENT ARREST BY PHOENIX POLICE OFFICERS OF A BLACK MAN WHO IS DEAF AND HAS CEREBRAL PALSY.
A WARNING – THE VIDEO MAY BE DIFFICULT TO WATCH.
THE FOOTAGE FROM AUGUST 19TH SHOWS TWO OFFICERS – BENJAMIN HARRIS AND KYLE SUE – PUNCHING AND TASING TYRON (tie-roan) MCALPIN.
PHOENIX POLICE SAY MCALPIN WAS ACCUSED OF PUNCHING ANOTHER MAN AT ANOTHER LOCATION IN AN ATTEMPT TO STEAL HIS BIKE.
ONCE OFFICERS CONFRONTED MCALPIN – THEY SAY HE TOOK A “FIGHTING STANCE.”
AFTER A STRUGGLE, OFFICERS TOOK MCALPIN TO THE GROUND AND HANDCUFFED HIM WHILE LYING FACE DOWN.
ON TUESDAY – THE MARICOPA COUNTY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE DROPPED THE INITIAL THEFT CHARGES AGAINST MCALPIN.
HE NOW FACES TWO COUNTS OF AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AND ONE COUNT OF RESISTING ARREST.
THERE ARE CALLS FOR THOSE CHARGES TO BE DROPPED, TOO.
THE C-E-O OF ‘DISABILITY RIGHTS ARIZONA’ SAYS THE CONTINUED DEMANDS TO COMPLY WERE NOT BEING HEARD BY MCALPIN BECAUSE HE’S DEAF.
THE TWO OFFICERS CLAIM THEY DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT MCALPIN BEING DEAF OR HAVING CEREBRAL PALSY.
THE PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN UNDER SCRUTINY BEFORE WITH THE U-S JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SAYING IT DISCRIMINATED AGAINST MINORITIES AND USED EXCESSIVE FORCE.
THE TWO OFFICERS HAVE *NOT* BEEN PUT ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE … PENDING AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION.
IN A STATEMENT, THE PHOENIX POLICE UNION URGED THE PUBLIC NOT TO JUMP CONCLUSIONS UNTIL ALL THE EVIDENCE IS REVIEWED.
FOR SAN I’M … LAUREN TAYLOR.
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