Florida cop fired after body cam proves he Tasered a black man with his hands up
A white Florida police officer has been fired after footage from his body camera showed that he used his Taser on a black man who had his hands up.
A white Florida police officer has been fired after footage from his body camera showed that he used his Taser on a black man who had his hands up.
“It certainly hurts to (fire an officer), but I’m here to do the right thing for the community,” Zephyrhills police Chief David Shears said after the news broke that he had fired Tim Claussen.
The video showed Clauseen repeatedly telling 42-year-old Lester Brown to step out of the door. The two were in Brown’s home, and Brown had his hands raised while he continued to profess his innocence.
“Come outside now,” Claussen said, “or you’re about to get tased. This is the last time.”
Brown kept his hands raised and said that he did not understand what Claussen wanted him for. Then, Claussen apparently lost his patience, as he fired his Taser, striking Brown in the abdomen.
“You just made it a lot worse on yourself, Mr. Brown,” the officer said.
“Why,” Brown asked, “cause I’m in my house?”
Although the supervisors who reviewed the tape agree that Claussen had acted improperly and therefore decided to terminate him, they maintained that race was not a factor.
“We didn’t see any evidence that it was racially motivated in any way,” Capt. Derek Brewer said.
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