Officer’s use of stun gun on teen ‘unlawful,’ Polk Black Lives Matter group says

POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Cellphone video is shedding new light on a chaotic incident involving a 15-year-old boy who was arrested at a Davenport hotel last week. Law enforcement was called to Sunset Palm Hotel in Davenport Thursday night after reports the teenager was assaulting his 18-year old girlfriend, who is seven months pregnant.

‘Aggressive 10-foot-plus alligator’ closed Florida park for a day According to the arrest affidavit, Sgt. Shanon Gaylord witnessed the teenager holding the victim by her hair, as she was trying to get away. In the newly-released cell phone video, Sgt.

Gaylord is seen holding the teen’s left arm behind his back. The boy is surrounded by several people. Some appear to be trying to calm him down.

Others are yelling, saying he should be arrested. “I’m not doing nothin’, I’m calm,” the boy said. Then he said he would “swing on her” twice.

After the second time he said it, Sgt. Gaylord deployed her Taser, hitting the teen, who fell to the ground. The teen was taken into custody, and is facing eight charges.

In the arrest affidavit, Sgt. Gaylord said she feared for her safety. “Due to the suspect being larger in size than Sgt.

Gaylord, the suspects actions and attitudes, the suspect actively resisting, and the suspects threatening to do bodily harm against Sgt. Gaylord, this placed Sgt. Gaylord in fear and caused her to believe that danger was imminent,” the affidavit stated.

But others are saying the boy did not pose any threat. Pasco man uses DoorDash to stalk ex-girlfriend, U-Haul to damage property: deputies “Video footage, captured by [the boy’s] mother, revealed that [the boy] did not pose a threat to law enforcement at the time he was Tased by Sergeant Gaylord and we find the actions taken by Sergeant Gaylord unjustified and unlawful,” Black Lives Matter Restoration Polk said in a statement. The group plans to hold a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

News Channel 8 has reached out to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for comment. Sheriff Grady Judd is expected to issue a response sometime on Wednesday. “He was actively fighting her.

She ended up having to use her Taser. This guy’s 5’9, 190 pounds. Our sergeant’s probably 5’5, but she’s tough.

She’s the only female on our SWAT team actually,” Carrie Horstman, media relations administrator for Polk County Sheriff’s Office, said in an interview Monday. Sgt. Gaylord called for backup after she deployed her Taser.

While responding, Haines City Police officer Brad Webster was accidentally hit by Polk County Sheriff’s Office’s vehicle, which was being driven by a lieutenant. Tampa’s Caspers Company to sell all of its McDonald’s locations As of Monday morning, Officer Webster remains at an area hospital. Authorities said one of the charges against the teenager involved the officer’s injuries.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates and download the free News Channel 8 app to receive breaking news alerts. .