Violent Crime by Cops Against Blacks On the Rise: Video Shows 5 White Cops Tase and Remove a Surrendering Black Teen b/c He [was Present on the Ocean City Boardwalk] Ignored Commands to Stop Vaping
/From [HERE] A black teenager was filmed being surrounded by five white police officers and tasered after he allegedly ignored a request to stop vaping on a Maryland boardwalk.
Brian Anderson, 19, was zapped with the device in Ocean City, Maryland, on Saturday, despite his apparent cooperation with the five officers surrounding him, and was filmed tumbling to the ground moments later.
Anderson, who was seen holding his hands up at the start of the clip, was struck by the taser as he reached for the strap of his backpack. One eyewitness claimed Anderson had been asked by police to remove the bag from his back, although that order was not captured on the video since shared online.
Anderson was one of four teens arrested on Saturday after being stopped by cops about vaping on the beach resort's boardwalk. Ocean City Council has banned smoking and vaping on its boardwalk, and only allows people to do so on several designated areas of its beach.
Police told the the teenagers, all from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, that vaping was prohibited on the boardwalk, except in designated areas.
The group walked away but police said they continued to vape.
The viral clip, which has been viewed more than 1.9 million times on Twitter as of Monday, begins with Anderson standing standing a few feet away from officers with his hands up.
An officer yells 'get down on the ground,' and Anderson appears to reach for the strap of his backpack but is instantly tasered by an officer and falls to the ground clutching his stomach in pain.
The town of Ocean City said in a release that Anderson was arrested for failure to provide necessary identification for vaping.
Police said Anderson resisted arrest and was charged with disorderly conduct, resistance and interference with an arrest, second-degree assault, and failure to provide proof of identity. He has since been released on his own recognizance, and has not commented on the arrest.
Three other teens were arrested after 'a large crowd of people began to form around the officers,' including Kamere Day, 19, who was arrested for yelling profanities and approaching officers during Anderson's arrest, the release said.
Jahtique Lewis, 18 was also arrested for allegedly pushing an officer in the chest while yelling profanities and trying to throw a bike at an officer and Khalil Warren, 19, was arrested for becoming disorderly after being warned that he was standing on private property, the release said.
Additional footage captured Warren's arrest in front of a large crowd as several officers were filmed on top of the teen attempting to handcuff the teen.