Recently released bodycam video showed Texas police bringing a 14-year-old Black boy to the ground and putting him in a chokehold in an arrest the boy’s family said left him with a dislocated shoulder.
Jasper Miller III, a freshman football player at Allen High School, and other teens were kicked out of a movie theater Oct. 26 after being accused of being disruptive, according to multiple news outlets.
“Two of the three of you were on the phone. This is not a request,” a Black manager told the group on video NBC DFW obtained.
Jasper initially refused to leave.
“I didn’t do nothing wrong,” he said in the video.
The bodycam footage later showed McKinney police officers meeting the teen outside.
“Find a ride or get to stepping,” an officer told Jasper.
When the teen didn’t leave and appeared frustrated, the officer told him: “Take a deep breath. Get your temper under control.”
Police also tried twice to cite Jasper with criminal trespassing, but video showed him running.
“You need to walk over here, man, because I’m going to arrest you,” an officer was heard saying in the video. “You’re under arrest.”
Jasper was shown running away but the officer later caught up to him standing with other teens.
“Move out the way or you’re going to be arrested too,” the cop told the other teens and ran toward Jasper.
The body camera footage cut off at that point, but another angle of footage showed Jasper taken to the ground and arrested.
At one point, one officer was on top of Jasper and another stretched the teen’s arm behind him.
Someone witnessing the arrest screamed police were “trying to break his arm.”
Cellphone video NBC DFW obtained recorded the teen asking friends to call his father.
His parents, attorney Kim Cole and activist Dominique Alexander later joined Jasper at a press conference Oct. 30, NBC DFW reported.
Cole also represented a group of Black McKinney teenagers shown in viral video being manhandled by police during a pool party in 2015.
Related: Texas Officer Suspended After Cringe-Worthy Video of Cops Manhandling Teens At Pool Party Goes Viral
“Pardon my language, but I mean they continue to give a middle finger to their black citizens like, you know, we don’t care,” Cole said at the press conference.
Officials, however contended officers acted appropriately in the recent incident.
McKinney Mayor George Fuller told NBC DFW “it’s painful to watch someone with just complete disrespect” of police orders.
“This kid had every opportunity to leave,” Fuller said.
McKinney police officials also stood by the officers in a statement to ABC News.
“Our officers take any use of force seriously, especially those where minors are involved,” police said. “The officer’s body cameras captured the entire incident, which allowed for a complete investigation and review.
“There are some occasions when certain actions must be taken when people will not follow the instructions given by public safety officers. This was one of those occasions.”
Jasper’s mother, Lakeista Eaton, said at the press conference that the police officer “abused his authority and took it too far,” according to ABC News video.
“My child, since Saturday, has been traumatized,” she said Oct. 30. “He has waken up at night. He has told me that he has had flashbacks of how he was treated, how he was put in a cold cell and how he was talked to.
“For me to see you treat him like this — when I know my child and how respectful he is — it hurts,” the mother added. “And it hurts more for you to release a video to try to justify what you did to him.”
