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Police release bodycam showing teen's arrest
The Menomonee Falls Police Department on Friday released redacted video from the arrest of a 13-year-old boy, which is at the center of a potential lawsuit and investigation.
MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. - The Menomonee Falls Police Department on Friday released redacted video showing the arrest of a 13-year-old boy, which is at the center of a potential lawsuit and investigation.
13-year-old arrested
The backstory:
Menomonee Falls police showed up to the 13-year-old's home and spoke to his grandfather on May 21.
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The boy then came to the door, and the police video showed an officer asked him if they could speak outside. MFPD redacted portions of the conversations and faces, but the family and their attorney, William Sulton, identified the boy as Ronald Shabazz.
Police have not detailed the underlying investigation, but Sulton said it relates to a photo shared on Snapchat of Shabazz in the shower. Officers said they'd need to talk to the boy back at the police station, and that's when things began to escalate.
Menomonee Falls police body camera video of arrest of Ronald Shabazz
Someone in the home started to record a video that the family has already shared. Menomonee Falls police said Shabazz was resisting officers, one of whom briefly put his hands on the boy's shoulder and neck area while he was put into handcuffs.
MFPD said the underlying investigation is still open and won't release details surrounding it.
Police, attorney comment
What they're saying:
In a news release, MFPD said the officers' actions were "reasonable and justified."
"As the body-worn camera videos illustrate, the officers in this investigation remained calm, continually requested the juvenile's cooperation, and only used the level of force that was necessary to take him into custody. Consequently, it is our department's conclusion that the officers' actions in this incident were both reasonable and justified."
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Sulton has said the arrest was "targeted," and stemmed from a dispute between two brothers that was blown out of proportion. The attorney intends on filing a federal civil rights lawsuit and is calling for the three officers involved to be fired.
FOX6 News reached out to Sulton for comment on the release of the police video but did not hear back by the deadline for this story.
The Source: Information in this post was provided by Menomonee Falls police as well as previous FOX6 News coverage.