Michigan Police Use Stun Gun On Man Who Had Been Holding Baby
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A video posted on Facebook shows police in Michigan using a stun gun on a man moments after a baby he was holding was pulled from his arms. The incident started after Westland Police officers were dispatched on report that a male subject had physically assaulted a female and that he had damaged her vehicle.
The man who posted the videos, Kelvin Williams said police arrived during a barbecue on Friday. The videos show police arguing with the man, who is holding a baby.
Police said the man was going to be arrested for assault and property damage and other outstanding warrants. Police said once the man learned of his impending arrest, the grabbed the child from his mother.
In a statement, Westland police said:
"At that time the police officers on scene felt that a close quarters direct taser deployment directly to the subjects back was the safest option. The video shows that during the deployment the child was also in the hands of the mother. The child was not injured during the arrest. The child was examined by the Westland EMT and turned over to the mother.
Like all Use of Force incidents, The Westland Police Department will conduct a thorough internal investigation to determine whether policy and procedure was followed and whether the incident was handled correctly. At this point in time that investigation is only in the beginning phase."
Journalist Shaun King posted the video on his Facebook page and said the woman who initially made the report was nowhere to be found. "It's one of the most disgusting assaults I've ever seen. This is why we say Black Lives Matter - because American police consistently act otherwise," King wrote. The video he posted has been viewed more than 130,000 times.
Westland is located 25 miles west of Detroit.