On Thursday 28 June 2018 at approximately 1016 hrs. Off. Mazzante responded to a call for a disturbance on the 1st blk. S. Prince St. A caller to 911 reported that a male with a bat went after another person near the intersection of S. Prince St. and W. Mifflin St. The caller said that the male went after a group of (3) other persons.
When Off. Mazzante arrived she saw (4) people in the area. A group of (3) was telling a male to get away from them. Off. Mazzante told the male several times to sit down and he refused to comply. The male, later identified as Sean Williams, kept talking at a female in the group and kept repeating that he wanted a specific item, his Social Security card, from her. Off. Mazzante repeated her instructions to sit down to Williams and he refused to comply.
Approximately (2) minutes later, Off. Bernot arrived to assist Off. Mazzante. Off. Bernot instructed Williams to sit on a curb and warned him that if he did not comply an ECD (Electronic Control Device) (sometimes called by the brand name Taser) would be used on him. Williams sat on the curb. Williams was instructed to stick his legs straight out in front of him and to cross his ankles. This is done as a measure of control to insure that if someone is going to flee or offer physical resistance, they will have to move their legs under them to do so. Non-compliance is often a precursor to someone that is preparing to flee or fight with Officers.
When Williams failed to follow instructions, Off. Bernot deployed the ECD on Williams, the probes striking him on his back. The use of the ECD had the desired effect and Williams was placed into custody without further incident or use of force.
In speaking with the group that had been telling Williams to get away, Officers were told that Williams was known to them and that he had been exhibiting increasing erratic behavior over the previous few days. They said that he had been outside the residence earlier and had wanted to fight with them but was wearing flip flops at the time. Officers were told that Williams had attempted to keep a female from entering her apartment and that they had attempted to help the female and keep Williams away from her. They said that Williams returned wearing sneakers and wanted to fight. That was just prior to someone else calling 911. The people that had been involved in the incident with Williams stated that they did not see him with a bat. No bat was found at the scene.
A check of Williams found that he had an outstanding Criminal Warrant for his arrest. The original charge on the warrant was Possession of a Controlled Substance (PCP) and Public Drunkeness. Williams was taken into custody on the warrant and transported to the station. Williams was checked by EMS, as is protocol with every use of an ECD. Williams was cleared and taken to MDJ Richardson for arraignment. Williams was released on unsecured $5,000 bail.
All use of force incidents, like this one, are reviewed by the Use of Force training cadre and Command Staff.
All persons accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
