A Black man, who is deaf and has cerebral palsy is facing felony aggravated assault and resisting arrest charges after he was repeatedly punched and tasered by a pair of Phoenix police officers.
Police arrived at Circle K due to a call from the employees stating that a white man was creating disturbance. Once the white man accused, Derrick Stevens, was approached by the police, he then goes to say that an innocent Black guy across the street was causing the problem. Acting on the false claims, the police then ran off and violently arrested the Black guy, Tyron McAlpin.
With Tyron McAlpin being deaf and having cerebral palsy, he goes to indicate that not only could not hear their commands but has a disability that would limit his ability to fight. And body camera footage shows they did not even give him a chance to comply, attacking him within two seconds of pulling up to him in a patrol car.
McAlpin is punched at least ten times, tasered four times, and placed in a chokehold.
McAlpin was arrested by Officers Benjamin Harris and Kyle Sue. According to ABC News, McAplin was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and one count of resisting arrest, both felonies, as well as a misdemeanor count of theft. The charges stemmed from an accusation by a white man who claimed McAlpin had stolen his cellphone.
In their police reports and court testimony, the two officers stated McAlpin was going to run, took a fighting stance, threw repeated punches, and wouldn’t comply with commands. Of course with viewing the footage McAlpin’s lawyers said it showed otherwise.
This case is based on a concerning Department of Justice report that exposed systemic issues within the Phoenix police. The report highlighted problems such as excessive use of force, racial bias, and mishandling of individuals with disabilities. Despite these findings, the department appears to be intensifying its efforts by pursuing charges against McAlpin, while seemingly ignoring the context of his disabilities.
Leading civil rights groups and disability advocacy organizations are calling for the charges to be dropped and for Phoenix to consent to federal oversight.
