A Black man in Los Angeles was tased by the sheriff’s deputies after an alleged attempt to flag down a patrol car after witnessing a traffic accident.
The incident, which was caught on video and posted on Twitter, is currently under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department.
According to the anonymous person who posted the footage, they tweeted they “got into a bad accident” and the victim tried to flag down the police to help them but “instead hopped out and tased bro no cap.”
However, a statement from the department gave a conflicting report indicating the deputies used force because the unidentified individual was being “hostile.”
You can see the video here:
Got into a bad car accident today and this man in the video tried to flag the police down to help us instead they hopped out and tased bro no cap🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/dYEKdtgVei
— SLANG (@Dopeslangjr_) December 1, 2020
While the footage did not reveal the preceding events that prompted the tasing, it did show the four deputies surrounding the unidentified victim moments before he was tased and fell to the ground.
Buzzfeed News said Sheriff’s officials confirmed deputies were alerted to the car accident at 9:47 a.m. near 104th Street and Van Ness Avenue in Inglewood when their patrol vehicle was blocked by the man upon arrival.
The department said in a statement:
“Deputies exited their patrol vehicle and contacted the individual.”
“Despite their de-escalation efforts, the individual became hostile and a use of force occurred.”
The scene turned chaotic when another Black man—who seemed to be related to the tased victim—emerged from his home and tried to intervene.
He yelled:
“Hey, he’s not in right mind! He’s not in his right f’king mind!”
The second man was tackled to the ground by the other deputies.
And the way they then went after the guy who came out of his house to tell them what was going on. Nonstop unnecessary escalation. Meanwhile the people in the car accident are ignored.
— Tacit Subtext (@TSubtext) December 2, 2020
A voice off-camera said of the tased victim:
“Something is wrong with him mentally, and I think his daddy is trying to say, ‘y’all don’t hurt him because there’s something wrong with him.'”
Social media users were appalled after watching the clip.
Cops are dangerous because they are poorly trained & have no idea how to respond to any problem except with violence which solves nothing.
— Biden Harris 2020 #BLM (@2017_itstime) December 2, 2020
This is the part where the community needs to come out for their homes and make those pigs leave them alone, and don’t stop until they’re gone and those men are free. By any means necessary
— Petrichor (@princepsofterra) December 2, 2020
The way they disrespect people WHILE BEING RECORDED only heightens my fear of what they do when they’re not being recorded.
— Kyuuketsuki Domino (@shin_domino) December 2, 2020
One Twitter user suggested people of color should never flag down police for assistance.Â
If you are Black never, ever flag down the police. Call 911 if you have to but flag them down and you are more likely to be brutalized than helped, this has happened way too many times. Flagging down cops safety is a white privilege for Black/Brown people it’s unsafe.
— kristalisbougie (@kristal100) December 2, 2020
If you have bipolar, schizophrenia, depression, mental illness… etc.
Stay away from the police when you feel an episode coming on if you can. Nothing good will come out of an altercation with police.
— đź•Š Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?🌹 (@PaulDeCristofo4) December 2, 2020
Others remained outraged over authorities defaulting to the use of force without assessing a situation.
THE COPS NEED TO GO BACK TO KINDERGARDEN AND LEARN TO USE THEIR WORDS!
Whatever happened to communication skills?!? They need to spend time talking to people who have different mental capacity or neuro disabilities and gain some perspective.
— Lyna & Sooki đź’•At Home (@honestlyna) December 2, 2020
I'm just glad they didn't kill this man and his father in front of his family. Had the cops shot both of them it would have surprised none of us. It's quite frankly astonishing how low the bar is at this point.
— 89technical (@89technical) December 2, 2020
Part of their job description is to deescalate a situation. Their training is once again absent .. and the violence at the hands of law enforcement is a public health issue! @PublicHealth
— Joshua A. (@JoshuaA_84) December 2, 2020
American police behave like they’re in a war zone.
— Seyi (@ThreeLeftThumbs) December 2, 2020
Officials later confirmed both men were related. They claimed the second man “ignored requests for him to back up” and “struggled with the deputies and was taken into custody.”
The news outlet said the second man was charged with battery on a peace officer and obstruction.
Both men were treated after being taken to a local hospital. The tased victim remained hospitalized as of Tuesday.
