Cops Who Beat & Tased Deaf Black Man With Cerebral Palsy Get Just 24-Hour Suspension

Three Phoenix police officers were given 24-hour unpaid suspensions following the violent arrest of Tyron McAlpin, a deaf man with cerebral palsy, last August. Two of the officers must also undergo additional de-escalation training. The arrest, captured on body camera footage, shows officers punching and tasing McAlpin shortly after arriving on the scene. “What you see is simply Tyron trying to avoid being struck repeatedly by the officer who repeatedly swings punches at his face,” said McAlpin’s attorney, Jesse Showalter.

The incident began when police responded to a 911 call about a fight at a Circle K store. According to the police report, the caller identified a white man as the aggressor. However, when police arrived, that same man pointed to McAlpin, who is Black and merely walking by, and accused him of assault.

Despite initially charging McAlpin with felony aggravated assault and resisting arrest, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell dismissed the charges after reviewing the case in October. Showalter maintained the officers’ injuries were “a result of their frenzied and violent attack on Tyron.”

Phoenix Police acknowledged in a statement Wednesday that “The Department identified policy violations” during an internal investigation. However, the department declined to release the names of the officers due to a pending appeal process.

Interim Police Chief Michael Sullivan emphasized the department’s commitment to the community, stating, “Our priority is always the safety and well-being of our community and our officers. We understand the concerns raised by this incident, and we take them seriously.” He added, “Our goal is to learn from this and move forward together as a stronger department and community.”

Showalter criticized the disciplinary measures, calling them insufficient. “Why a 24-hour suspension is the appropriate punishment for beating, Tasing, and falsely charging a man who had committed no crime and posed no threat to anyone?” he asked. He also accused the city of avoiding accountability, stating, “The City is attempting to avoid responsibility or accountability... by giving the officers involved a slap on the wrist.”

Showalter filed a lawsuit on March 5 against the city and officers Benjamin Harris, Kyle Sue, and Jorge Acosta, citing battery, negligence, and constitutional violations.

Link: NBCNews