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Detroit police officer Tased by woman as fight breaks out during marijuana investigation

Residents, police have disagreement over videotaping marijuana arrests

DETROIT – A wild scene broke out Wednesday night in Southwest Detroit when a police officer responding to a call about marijuana was Tased by a woman.

Detroit police said officers were responding to a call about children in a car smoking marijuana when neighbors interfered with the police.

People who claim to live in neighborhoods were police aren't frequent visitors said they had to grab their phones to videotape the encounter. Others said residents should stop taping and let the officers do their jobs.

"In Southwest Detroit, we get harassed by cops, so we record," Tineika Smith said. "That's just to protect us."

Smith's son was arrested by police.

Officers said the residents weren't just recording video, but interfering with a traffic stop and getting too close. When one man was told to get a cellphone out of an officer's face, things started to get out of control.

Police grabbed the man, and the disagreement escalated.

"They drug him over there and were punching him and choking him out -- six to eight cops, to the point he was gasping for air and choking and vomiting," Smith said.

That's when another woman ran into a nearby house and returned with a Taser gun. She targeted the officers, who were holding her stepson.

"She panicked, and to save his life, she Tasered a cop," Smith said.

"She was coming full force with a Taser and pepper spray to assault those officers," Detroit police Cmdr. Whitney Walton said.

Detroit police addressed the incident Thursday, telling a different story. They said the family was told to stay on the porch, but instead came running at officers.

"They can record," Walton said. "They can observe, just don't interfere."

The main discrepancy in the stories is that police said the first man ran at them, and neighbors said he was just standing near police videotaping. The video doesn't prove either version of events.

The man, as well as the woman who Tased the officer, were arrested, and the children in the car were given tickets and released.

Police said the officer wasn't injured.

Stay with ClickOnDetroit.com for updates.


About the Authors
Jason Colthorp headshot

Jason is Local 4’s utility infielder. In addition to anchoring the morning newscast, he often reports on a variety of stories from the tragic, like the shootings at Michigan State, to the off-beat, like great gas station food.

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Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.

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