Kansas City, Kansas, police officers disciplined for arrest of Walmart shopper
Two Kansas City, Kansas, police officers were disciplined and will have additional training after an arrest in a Walmart led to backlash on social media.
Over the weekend, the police department acknowledged an ongoing internal investigation of three officers shown in a widely-seen video detaining a man near the store exit. The video, which was shared on TikTok, begins as the man is being held against the ground with a frozen pizza box on the ground nearby.
He attempts to show a receipt to the person filming as other officers come and try to put his arms behind his back, pushing his head into the ground. At one point, one of the officers appears to kneel on the man’s upper back and neck area.
Supporters of the man said on social media that the arrest was unjust and that he was tackled to the ground before the cameras started rolling.
@viviana_borisouth This is a another video someone got of my husband being treated unlawfully by the Kansas City Kansas Police!! I want justice to be served! They are suppose to protect us but instead they threaten him and say they are going to break his nose!! This isnt right!! I want everyone on Tiktok to share this video and the other video i have to prove that this is how police treat us! No one should get tackled and put in a headlock because of a receipt!! INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY!! ALSO THEY DID NOT SAY THEIR MIRANDA RIGHTS TO HIM AT ALL!! #innocentuntilprovenguilty #unfairtreatment #policebrutalitymuststop #walmartvideo #justicemustbeserved #kansascity #kansascitypolice ♬ original sound - Viviana Borisouth (Vera)
A request for comment left by a Star reporter on the TikTok video was not immediately returned.
A statement from KCKPD shared Monday by spokeswoman Nancy Chartrand says the incident began when an off-duty officer working security asked for the receipt to be presented, and that request was refused.
After the review, according to KCKPD, the department found the officer should have disengaged from the situation. Another of the responding officers was found to have used “techniques that are not approved, nor trained,by the Department.
“Moving forward, we will work with all our retail partners to ensure that there is a clear, mutual understanding of our officers role while working in any off-duty capacity,” the statement says.
The shopper was initially charged with hindering an investigation, a misdemeanor. KCKPD said Monday that the charge was dropped by prosecutors at the police department’s request.
The Star’s Katie Moore contributed to this report.
