Posted on 03/01/2005 11:04:12 AM PST by socal_parrot
AURORA, Colo. -- Aurora police are reviewing a weekend incident in which a man accused of stealing salad from a Chuck E. Cheese salad bar was hit with a stun gun twice by officers.
The incident began at 4:05 p.m. Sunday when officers were called to the restaurant at 145005 East Exposition on a report of a larceny in progress.
Police talked to the Chuck E. Cheese manager who told them that a customer had refused to show proof that he had paid for food. The manager said the man was seen "loading" his plate at the salad bar.
The officers confronted Danon Gale, 29, who was at the restaurant with his children, aged 3 and 7. Patrons said the popular kids pizza parlor was packed with children and families at the time.
According to police, Gale was asked to step outside to discuss the incident.
"According to witnesses (Gale) refused to cooperate with police and a struggle ensued," said Larry Martinez, a police spokesman. He said that Gale became argumentative and shoved one of the officers, a fact disputed by another patron.
"One of the officers kept poking the gentleman in the chest," Felicia Mayo told the Rocky Mountain News.
She was there with her 7-year-old son. She told the newspaper that Gale told the officer "You don't have to do that." She said Gale never put his hands on the officer who was confronting him
The argument escalated until Gale was shoved into the lap of Mayor's sister, who was sitting two booths away, holding a 10-month-old baby. That's when police pulled out a Taser stun gun to subdue him.
"They beat this man in front of all these kids then Tased him in my sister's lap," Mayo told the newspaper. "They had no regard for the effect this would have on the kids. This is Chuck E. Cheese, you know."
Gale's two children were "screaming and hollering and crying" as Gale was tasered with two times with the stun gun.
Police arrested Gale as his children and other customers watched. They took him outside, leaving his children inside the restaurant.
Gale was arrested for investigation of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and trespassing.
His two children were picked up by a relative.
The manager of the restaurant declined comment and Gale said he couldn't talk about it, after hiring an attorney.
Damn, those cops.
"According to witnesses (Gale) refused to cooperate with police and a struggle ensued," said Larry Martinez, a police spokesman. He said that Gale became argumentative and shoved one of the officers, a fact disputed by another patron.
"One of the officers kept poking the gentleman in the chest," Felicia Mayo told the Rocky Mountain News.
Yeah, the cops sure tried to defuse the situation. Where do they find these @$$holes?
Nope. Sorry.
yeah. You're right, he's lucky he didn't get shot. hell on second thought they ought to send a cop over to his house and shoot now just for the hell of it.
Did you read what the witness said. The guy wasn't confrontational the cop was. I hope the cop is fired and the city pays big bucks to the victim. This is not a police state, the police are supposed to defend the public, not terrorize small children by abusing their parents.
The last time I went to one was years ago in brooklyn and after watching one hell of a fist fight between two mommies that was it for me.
Try Bullwinkles!
Let me try this again:
http://www.kimmershow.com/SupportFiles/Scripts/FileTamer.asp?FileID=1538
You should have shot him back. I have one. And apparently it's ok to shoot people with it indiscriminately.
BTW: I would be pissed if I had to use it on some punk since the cartridges cost about $50 each.
Taser shoots over 50K of volts.
http://www.taser.com/law/video/fast/bull_56k.mov
Link doesn't work any more.
This guy should have just walked outside to talk to the cops. HE is the one responsible for forcing the cops to subject children to violence. That Chris Rock video is funny stuff.
That bull looked more dangerouse after he got shot.
What would have been the best solution is for the Store Manager to have to deal with a lunatic lurking around the kids all by himself. That way I could find out if he'd go the knife route, or the gun route. That's a great thing for the kids, I think.
Calm down there buddy. Beating the crap out of a father of two for taking some extra lettuce is a sign of mental stability? I respect the work and effort of our law enforcement officers, though in this case they're well over the line.
. . .
"They beat this man in front of all these kids then Tased him in my sister's lap," Mayo told the newspaper. "They had no regard for the effect this would have on the kids. This is Chuck E. Cheese, you know."
The guy will be able to afford lots of free salad with his witnesses !
Albeit the guy was wrong not to go out and talk with the LEO's they screwed the pooch on this one......too many eyeballs that weren't related or friends of the "bad guy"....city better dust off the taxpayers check book to cover these two authoritarians asswhuppin.......
I realize that cops have a tough and frequently thankless job. Still, I have seen some mistreat people for no reason. My wife bumped a parked car and a cop - about 22 years old - who saw it banged on her window and screamed at her like she hit his prized pet, then told her to move her car while standing where the mirror would hit him if she complied - luckily she had sense enough not to. All my kids were in the car at the time and they were very nervous. Fortunately an older policeman was there too and jumped in to calm him down.
Also lucky for us, my wife was having lunch with a different cop's wife at the time who saw the whole incident and stood up for her.
My 5 year old said to me last week "I don't like police, they are mean." I explained that even policemen have bad days but they still try to help people in trouble.
I doubt either side of this one can be proud of their behavior but the article does seem to cast more suspicion on the police response.
Well, it is. It's clearly a case of an aggressive...
Oh, hell. I can't do it. Next!
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