PITCAIRN, Pa. \u2014 The chief of police in Pitcairn says there has been a rash of car break-ins along Airbreak Avenue, which is why a police officer initially stopped a 17-year-old who was walking in the area around midnight. <\/p>\n
The teen\u2019s aunt says her nephew is traumatized and the family wants answers. <\/p>\n
\u201cMy sister can\u2019t even watch it because she just heard her son screaming. I willed myself to watch it and I hate that I did because those screams we can just not get out of our minds,\u201d Sonya Smith said.<\/p>\n
Sonya Smith is talking about doorbell camera video of her nephew being arrested by police. In the video, you can hear the man screaming for help.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen multiple different clips of videos and there proceeded to be a lot more officers. One of the officers it looks like he was punching on him. My nephew was tazed as well while he was on the ground and he was handcuffed during this time as well,\u201d Smith said. <\/p>\n
Channel 11 spoke with Pitcarin\u2019s police chief, who says what you\u2019re seeing in the online clips happened after police tried to get the young man to give his name and cooperate and that when he\u2019s allowed to release it, police body camera footage will show a full picture of what happened. <\/p>\n
Pitcairn Chief Scott Farally said, \u201cIt shows the officers intervening, him saying, \u2018We don\u2019t have to do this. We don\u2019t have to be so bad, just give us your identity and if you\u2019re a minor, let\u2019s contact your parent,\u2019 but that didn\u2019t happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Instead, he says things escalated, where the two Pitcairn officers on duty called for backup. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was Pitcairn, North Versailles, East McKeesport, Turtle Creek and Monroeville,\u201c Farally said. \u201cOne officer from East McKeesport gets kicked in the chest while trying to subdue him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Monday, the NAACP Pittsburgh Branch, the Black Political Empowerment Project & Alliance for Police Accountability issued a joint statement:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe scale and intensity of the police response raises questions regarding the necessity and proportionality of the legal basis for the arrest. Based on the footage, we are seeking clarification from the Pitcairn Police Department on the following issues:<\/p>\n
\u2022 What was the legal basis for the initial stop of the youth?<\/p>\n
\u2022 Did the officers make a good-faith effort to de-escalate the situation?<\/p>\n
\u2022 Why were thirteen officers and a police canine necessary to address the situation with a youth of this stature?\u201d<\/p>\n
Smith said, \u201cI just don\u2019t see how someone could\u2019ve been resisting screaming help like that\u2019s the part that really bothers me the most he was really screaming and afraid for himself and his life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smith says her nephew was hit twice in his head, tased and that he suffered injuries. He was taken to the hospital, where he was treated and released. <\/p>\n
Pitcairn\u2019s chief says officers found a knife in the 17-year-old\u2019s fanny pack. They say he\u2019s now facing charges for kicking the police officer.<\/p>\n
On Monday night at around 8 p.m., the NAACP shared a joint statement responding to Farally\u2019s remarks.<\/p>\n
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