ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Hundreds of people joined a protest Wednesday in Ann Arbor after a teenager claimed an officer used excessive force while arresting him for refusing to leave a bus stop.
Ann Arbor police were called to the Transit Center Tuesday afternoon on reports of a fight. An officer who was trying to clear the building came into contact with Ciaeem Slanton, and ordered him to leave.
Slanton told the officer he was waiting for his bus and allegedly refused to leave the bus stop. That's when the officer apparently took him to the floor.
Slanton's mother saw surveillance video of the tackle.
"I was hurt," Tria Moore said. "I was frustrated. I was angry. It was just a lot of different emotions."
Video of the arrest was shared on social media, helping to get the word out about a protest to close down Fifth Street for a few moments and march to the Ann Arbor Police Department.
Protesters were angry about the force used during the arrest.
Steve Dolunt, a retired assistant Detroit police chief, said the officer's actions helped the teen stop resisting.
"He doesn't have his knee in his back," Dolunt said. "He doesn't have his knee in his neck. He has his leg wrapped around so the kid can still breathe. The young man is laying on his side. I give them both credit. The kid realized, 'Uh oh.' He handled it great."
"To say that he was resisting, I don't see anywhere in the camera where he was clearly resisting," Moore said. "He was walking with the officer."
Ann Arbor police said everything is still under investigation, but they submitted a warrant to the Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office for trespassing and resisting arrest.
The officer has not been suspended. He is still on duty with pay.