Everyone is beating their chests about someone calling the police about selling "loosies" in front of their store, except I'm not sure how many packs of smokes Bay Beauty Supply sells... LOL! :)
Only because that is what the police were arresting him for.
The fight, which is what originally attracted the attention of the police (whether called or not) was over and apparently the individuals involved scattered. Eric was involved in the fight (allegedly breaking it up) and still standing there. The cops probably decided to take him in on the loosies charge either because OTHER store owners in the one block area where Eric could walk without collapsing had filed repeated complaints (he had multiple arrests for this same charge, and likely in the same location). Or because they saw him selling them just before the fight started. The city/police had just put a new priority on this single cig sale of untaxed cigarettes from black market sales, so I'm sure they were watching for it.
The point is that he was being placed under arrest. He resisted arrest and physically assaulted a police officer. He left them no choice but to subdue and handcuff him so they could take him to jail.
All else stems from that.