x
Breaking News
More () »

Taylor police chief responds to teen's viral arrest video

Police had responded to the scene after receiving a noise complaint from a nearby senior living center.

TAYLOR, Texas — The Taylor Police Department will "review" and "evaluate" an incident where officers arrested a teen after responding to a noise complaint.

The arrest happened shortly after 12:15 a.m. on Friday, June 14 at the Whataburger on North Main Street. 

Chief Henry Fluck told KVUE that dispatchers had received a call about loud music and cars peeling out in the restaurant's parking lot.

When officers arrived – about an hour and 15 minutes past the city's teen curfew on Thursdays – they encountered a crowd of about 35 people.

"The sergeant advised the crowd about the juvenile curfew ordinance, and she ordered everyone 16 or under to leave. After she issued that order, no one left," Chief Fluck said.

Then he said one of the officers at the scene recognized a teen in a red shirt, whom officers had pulled over the night before for speeding.

"[The officers] approached him and asked him for his ID and at that time, the juvenile refused to cooperate, told the officers he didn't have to tell them anything and began walking away," Chief Fluck said.

The officers tried to detain the teen for violating the curfew, and then the teen began resisting, according to Chief Fluck.

RELATED: 

Woman suing 2 Austin police officers for alleged excessive force in 2017 arrest

'I'll get the gun, stay there.' New details show conflicting reports in suspected Manor kidnapping

Surveillance video shows Texas man's 'brazen physical attack' on TSA screeners

In cellphone video shared with KVUE, you can see the officers struggling to put the 16-year-old in handcuffs before falling to the ground. 

"They used considerable restraint in affecting the arrest of this individual. It was a prolonged struggle that actually took close to three minutes," Chief Fluck said.

Magnus Stephens, an 18-year-old who took the video, told KVUE in a phone interview that the officers at the scene were too aggressive and went too far.

"There was no attempt to de-escalate or talk to us like we were humans," Stephens said. "She just went straight to trying to put him in cuffs, escalating the whole situation. It was really aggressive and over-zealous."

Chief Fluck said his officers did what they were trained to do, but he will consider whether any changes need to be made for the future.

"We are going to review and evaluate this incident and see if there's a better way we can handle this type of incident in the future," he said.

Police charged the 16-year-old with resisting arrest and for violating the city curfew.

KVUE reached out to the teen but because he is a minor, he was not allowed to speak with a reporter.

Chief Fluck said this was not the first time his department has received a noise complaint from the Whataburger parking lot this year.

So far this year, Taylor PD has received four noise complaints, compared to 10 noise complaints last summer.

RELATED VIDEO: Taylor police respond to viral arrest video

PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING:

Granger Smith thanks Georgetown doctors, nurses in emotional new video

New study shows how much you must make to rent a two-bedroom home in the Austin area

Woman suing 2 Austin police officers for alleged excessive force in 2017 arrest

Before You Leave, Check This Out