New Haven police release body-cam footage in shoplifting arrest where officer drew gun

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Police released body-camera footage Tuesday from an officer who drew his gun and Taser on an alleged shoplifting suspect, when the man appeared to reach for his waistband.

Police are conducting an internal investigation “to review the appropriateness of the officer’s use of force,” said Sgt. Shayna Kendall, police spokesperson.

Police have not identified the officer who drew his gun during the incident. He was serving as a private duty officer at the Foxon Boulevard Walmart where the incident took place, according to a copy of the police report also released Tuesday.

The release of the footage and a copy of the police report was “in response to a media inquiry” about the officer drawing his Taser and service weapon during the April 11 arrest, Kendall said Tuesday.

Around 2:30 that afternoon, the officer and store personnel spotted the man allegedly “stealing clothing items on video surveillance,” grabbing different clothes and “stuffing them in his pants,” the officer wrote in his report.

The portion of the officer’s body-cam footage that was released begins with him watching the surveillance footage, before running out to the parking lot after the man.

“I began to follow and told the male to stop,” the officer wrote.

“The male turned back and began to run faster, stating ‘I’m sorry,’” the report says.

The male suspect then gets into the driver’s seat of a car . The officer runs up and draws his Taser, placing it in his left hand, and yanks the driver’s door open, yelling at the man to get out of the car. “I’ve only got T-shirts, I only stole T-shirts” the man can be heard saying.

The man twists towards the car’s center console repeating “I only stole T-shirts” as the officer reaches in and grabs the car keys out of his hand.

The man gets out of the car and puts both hands behind his back.

“The male began to reach inside his pants; at this moment I deployed my department issued firearm fearing the male was grabbing a weapon,” the report says.

In the video, the officer draws his gun with his right hand, pointing it at the man along with the Taser in his left hand.

“Whatta ya got there bro?” the officer says. “I only have T-shirts” the man repeats over and over.

The officer orders him to the ground and kneels on his back before handcuffing him as other New Haven officers arrive.

Later, police can be seen locating rolled-up T-shirts , and removing the man’s green jacket, which he allegedly also told police he took from the store.

“A search of (the man) did not result in locating a weapon but did locate various clothing items stolen from Walmart,” the report reads. The clothing had a total value of a little more than $104, according to police.