The Milwaukee Police Department released the Sterling Brown arrest video today, which confirms that Brown was not “combative” as was initially reported. The video of the body-cam footage is below.
After they drag him to the ground for no reason, one officer screams for a taser and proceeds to tase Brown.
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Sterling Brown was arrested on Jan. 26 in a Walgreens parking lot. He was charged with resisting arrest after police claimed he approached them menacingly while they were writing him a ticket. The charges against Brown were abruptly dropped, and the police braced for a backlash pending release of the video.
The department released it tonight, and as Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said, Brown was not hostile or threatening before he was arrested.
The video shows the officer approach Brown as he goes to get into his car, parked in front of the Walgreens (it’s around 2 am and the lot is empty). As Brown says that he doesn’t see anything wrong with parking across two lanes since the lot is vacant, the officer tells Brown to back away from him and calls for backup. The officer was invading Brown’s space, not the other way around.
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When backup arrives, the officer says he “only wanted one [car for backup]” and that Brown got “right up in my face.” After several officers surround Brown, one angrily tells him to get his hand out of his pocket. When Brown says that his hands are full, the officer jerked Brown’s hand out, and the officers wrestle him to the ground. You can hear one shouting “Taser! Taser! Taser!” and they tase him. Brown can be heard groaning in pain.
Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales held a presser this evening and released a statement apologizing for the unnecessary force used on Brown. The department ruled that the arresting police “acted inappropriately” and have been disciplined. Morales and his team walked away without answering any questions as the press asked why they’d held the conference before giving anyone a chance to see the video.
Brown released a statement of his own, confirming that he will file a lawsuit “to continue forcing change in our community”:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/sJqUMtUZIY">pic.twitter.com/sJqUMtUZIY</a></p>— SB (@thatnegus_sb) <a href="https://twitter.com/thatnegus_sb/status/999413933021847552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Bucks released a statement calling Brown’s arrest “shameful and inexcusable.”
Bucks Organization Statement On Sterling Brown-
The abuse and intimidation that Sterling experienced at the hands of Milwaukee Police were shameful and inexcusable. Sterling has our full support as he shares his story and takes action to provide accountability.
Unfortunately, this isn't an isolated case. It shouldn’t require an incident involving a professional athlete to draw attention to the fact that vulnerable people in our communities have experienced similar, and even worse, treatment.
We are grateful for the service of many good police officers that courageously protect us, our fans and our city, but racial biases and abuses of power must not be ignored.
There needs to be more accountability.
The Milwaukee Police Department and local officials have acknowledged the challenges they are working to address, and we urge them to enact higher standards and more direct accountability. We all want to be able to trust each and every officer serving to protect us.
Incidents like this remind us of the injustices that persist. As an organization, we will support Sterling and build on our work with local leaders and organizations to foster safe neighborhoods and better our community.
This is precisely why people do not trust the police. These officers should have to spend a night in jail, after being tased for no reason, and fired. Perhaps that will put an end to the corrupt police and stop giving the good police offices a bad name. These officers were clearly in the wrong in every way.
Related Sources:
https://deadspin.com/milwaukee-police-release-video-of-bucks-sterling-brown-1826275081/amp; https://www.nba.com/bucks/news/bucks-organization-statement-sterling-brown
<b>By: Lexy </b>
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I agree some Over reaction.
Despite a suspect at 2am in a Parking lot with his hands in his pockets and stating he can't remove them because his hands are full???????
But thank GOD that they only tazered him and not shot him.
The police could obviously do better but when you get a command to "take your hands out of your pocket," you have to respond!!!!
How about when the officer says, “ Back up”, you just take a few steps BACKWARDS!? I get sick of seeing crap like this. Maybe the bossy cop wouldn’t have gotten irritated and then Brown woildn’t have gotten tased? Not excusing the cop, but ALL of these start with the “victim” trying to assert their “rights” over stupid and simple things, like not backing up, not putting out your cigarette, not packing up your illegal cigs and move on, not getting out of the middle of the street, not running When you haven’t paid your child support, etc., etc., etc.
How about doing what you're told. Back the f*ck up and take your hands out of your pockets. Weve all seen videos where someone closes on a cop and then attacks him or hesitates to takes hands out of pockets because they have a gun only you pull it out and shoot the cop. Cops dont know your intentions they ask you to back up for their safety. I know they have a dangerous job and personally would follow instructions immediately and to the letter. Just common f*cking sense.
Most the time cops do the right thing. But when they do not they need to answer for it.