Two teenaged females, aged 18 and 16 say they were roughed up by the Police yesterday, and tasered without justification. If you're not familiar with the term taser, it's a high voltage handheld device used by law enforcement worldwide intended to immobilize a suspect by delivering an electric shock.
The young women say the incident happened around midday today on Plues Street, when dozens of Police men descended upon the George street area to conduct random searches and suspect sweeps as part of an ongoing crime prevention campaign. Things went awry when a projectile was thrown at the police.
Shanice Welch, one of the young ladies that was tasered as a result stopped by our studios, straight from Lockup along with the adult cousin of the minor to express their outrage at what they call "outright Police brutality", and "the use of unnecessary force" against what they say were two non-threatening' females.
Shanice Welch, victim
"We were on George Street, they were searching some of the "bwai" house and we were just making sure they didn't plant anything there, because I witness that they planted a weed on my friend. So now we are standing there and then we are just saying what we got to say because we are free to talk and we were just saying what we got to say, they were not paying us any mind. So now the crowd got ready to take off, they took in some of the boys. Someone out of the crowd throw a pint bottle and then the police start to crank up their gun and they start to run at people and then my friend and I ran on Plues Street and then afterwards I inform my friend that the police is coming and I as I turn towards the police a officer got a Taser and shoot me by herein my chest, then afterwards when I feel how it feel I draw back and then he put on me again and then they crowd me and shock me all over then I fell and got hurt and bruise. When I see they went after my friend, I start to cry and scream out and I thought they had left me alone but then another officer came to me and start to shock me, they grab two of us and stone us in the police truck."
Jim McFadzean
"Did the officers when you were being charge say why you were tasered and if they believe that you were one of the person responsible for throwing the bottle?"
Shanice Welch, victim
"No they just say 'grab two of them and lets go, stone them in the truck' they come on us really rough."
Natasha Lewis, Cousin
"When the battle was thrown I was there too but then they didnt see who throw that battle. In a crowd you could never see who throw a bottle, if the person is hiding or something like that. When they ran after the young ladies, they meet them on Plues Street, this young lady Shanice says plain that it wasn't her and they still continue to taser the young lady. They never had to go through all of that, they are men, they are not supposed to deal with a female, they should at least call a "WPC" to assist them with an arrest. Even if they just grab them and hold them there, then it would have really matter. But then a 16 year old to be Taser with a gun, come on that is not necessary."
Jim Mcfadzean
"You said that you witness the tasering of your cousin who is a female minor. Was she resisting arrest?"
Natasha Lewis, Cousin
"She was not resist arrest, she resist arrest, when they first taser her, she just move to the side a little and when PC Sambula grab her and the taser at her neck and shock her and then slam her on the ground that is when she hollered that 'you will not take me anywhere' that is when she start to resist after she was already tasered. When PC Sambula shot my cousin she just drop like she knock out, now come on, Sambula is a man, he could have hold my cousin."
Jim McFadzean
"Because your cousin who is a minor is about your size."
Natasha Lewis, Cousin
"She is still a little bit smaller than me. You mean to tell me that Sambula can't hold her? And more man officers were there, they could hold her, how will they make a little girl control them."
Jim McFadzean
"So what injuries did she suffered from the tasering?"
Natasha Lewis, Cousin
"Well her knee got scape up, she hurts her back when she fell to the street. Sambula slam her down - body slams her down. My little cousin can't even sleep at night. Every time Sambula goes on Plues Street he harasses my cousin, for what?"
Jim McFadzean
"Did your cousin seek medical attention? Did you seek medical attention?"
Shanice Welch, victim
"I ask because when I lay down on the cold tile my foot pains me and I ask but nobody don't pay me any mind. The man says yes he is trying but they are not paying him any mind worse. So I just stay in there and just take my pain."
Both females were charged by the Police with resisting arrest and throwing a missile. They both posted bail in the amount of $600.00, and were released this afternoon. 7 News made attempts to reach the Police Press Officer for a response to the allegations made, but we were unable to make contact.
