A Pennsylvania police officer has been caught on camera using a stun gun on a man while he’s sitting on a curb.
Lancaster police says officers were called around 10 a.m. Thursday after being informed a man was confronting people with a bat.
Officer Shannon Mazzante arrived on the scene just after 10 a.m. and repeatedly told the male — later identified as Sean Williams, 27 — to sit down on the sidewalk, but Williams did not comply, police said.
A Pennsylvania police officer has been caught on camera instructing a suspect to sit down
Suspect, Sean Williams, 27, is told to sit down on the sidewalk but the cop still has his taser out
Video posted to Facebook then captured a second officer, Philip Bernot, telling Williams to sit on a sidewalk and stick his legs out.
Williams was warnedthat if he continued to refuse directions, a Taser would be used on him. Williams then sat on the curb, facing the street.
Bernot directed Williams to do this at least seven times, the video shows, before Mazzante shouted, ‘Legs straight out and cross them now.’
As Williams draws his legs back toward himself to cross them, Bernot tells him to stick them back out and Williams appears to be confused by the conflicting commands.
The officer fires the taser into Williams from behind despite the man posing no threat
Williams writhes around on the floor as pain and jolts of electricity pass through his body
Bernot then used his stun gun on Williams while the man is sitting, facing away from the officer.
Police say Williams refused to comply with the officer’s commands.
Williams told WGAL-TV he followed all directions and doesn’t know why he was shocked.
Mayor Danene Sorace says she was upset by the video, and an investigation into the officer’s use of force is ongoing.
‘Like you, when I saw the video I was upset by it and it is of great concern to me. We take the use of force very seriously,’ Sorace said.
‘Non-compliance is often a precursor to someone that is preparing to flee or fight with Officers,’ police said in a statement. ‘All use of force incidents, like this one, are reviewed by the Use of Force training cadre and Command Staff.’
The video has been viewed 1.6million times since it was posted on Thursday.
The officer continues to point his taster gun at his the man despite him posing no threat
The nervous officer still holds the taser gun at Williams while he waits for backup to arrive to assist