An Illinois family says their 14-year-old son who has autism was tased by police in a case of mistaken identity, ABC News reports.
The incident unfolded on November 20, 2023, as Dolton police were searching for four Black males who had fled from a crashed stolen vehicle and were allegedly armed.
An officer began to pursue teen Avarius Thompson, who they said matched the description of a suspect, after spotting him in a nearby backyard.
Body camera footage of the incident shows a Dolton police officer yelling "Hands up! Hands up!" as he runs towards Thompson with his Taser extended. In the video, the officer deployed the taser after Thompson jumped over a fence.
The officer tased Thompson a second time as he attempted to get up.
"Don't move. Don't move," the officer told Thompson. "You move, you're going to get some more."
Calvin Townsend ll, the family's attorney, contends that officers mistook Thompson for the suspect as the teen's clothes were similar to the suspect's description.
"He's a 14-year-old kid, and having officers rush toward you with what we know are Tasers but could be perceived as guns is scary," Townsend said. "Then you add the autistic aspect. Again, it's very confusing."
In the body-camera footage, one officer can be heard saying "I don't think that's him, bro."
"This might not be him," another officer said.
More footage shows Thompson's mother, Gwendolyn Toran, telling the officers that her son is autistic after he was transported to a hospital.
"You can't arrest an autistic kid, man! Y'all tased him. Y'all did that," she says.
After being treated at the hospital, Thompson was taken into custody and released later that day, according to the family.
The village of Dolton said Wednesday (January 17) that they are investigating the incident, which officials called a "regrettable event." Townsend said the family plans on pursuing legal action.
According to the family, Thompson suffered injuries including a fractured hip during his November encounter with Dolton police.
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