In another among the growing number of incidents relating to people not wearing a face mask in the USA, a lady named Alecia Kitts found herself arrested by a police officer after getting tasered. The incident occurred at a football stadium in Logan where an eighth-grade football match was taking place. Kitts tried to resist her arrest which led to the officer using the taser on her.
The video of this incident was recorded from close quarters, apparently by another spectator, and has been posted online. A man named Skylar Steward, who says he is the father of Kitts' son, streamed the video on Facebook and has stated his intention to file a complaint against the officer involved for use of excessive force.
Details of incident
Kitts was approached by the School Resource Officer who informed her that she is required to wear a mask. The lady claimed that she has asthma and therefore cannot put on a mask. Following this, as per the footage, the officer, Chris Smith, tried to apprehend the lady and she resisted strongly.
In the physical struggle that followed, Smith tried to handcuff her but she wasn't submitting herself to it. Kitts could also be heard loudly protesting that she hasn't done anything wrong. Eventually, Smith uses a taser on the shoulder of the lady to end her resistance and then takes her in police custody.
Video of the incident:
Kitts was subsequently released but will now be facing charges of criminal trespassing. The official statement from police clarifies that the officer didn't act merely because the woman wasn't wearing a mask but because she was violating the rules of the school and refused to leave the premises despite being told to.
Police's explanation
"It is important to note, the female was not arrested for failing to wear a mask, she was asked to leave the premises for continually violating school policy," the local police's statement read. "Once she refused to leave the premises, she was advised she was under arrest for criminal trespassing, she resisted the arrest, which led to the use of force."
However, Steward sees the incident in a different manner. He made his displeasure at the behavior of the officer known on Facebook.
"Big bad cop tasered a 100-pound woman with one hand in cuffs. To say I'm pissed is an understatement," he wrote.
