On Valentines this year, Mesa Police Department left an elderly woman badly bruised and today she announced she is suing the department.
Officers arrived at Virginia Archers home to do a welfare check on her adult grandson after receiving a call regarding a suicidal man with a gun, according to WWAYTV13.
The officers arrived at the door and the Archers complied by answering the door but became confused by the situation and tried going back inside.
The officers did not allow her to go in but brought her outside.
The officers used the excuse that they were there trying to keep her out of harms way but ended up injuring her to the point he needed medical help.
The body camera footage shows an officer grabbing Archers by the arm and pushing her face first into the street.
Twenty five seconds into the body camera footage Archers tells the officers that she just recently had a stroke but the officers ignore her comments and still use physical force against her.
It turned out, her grandson was not suicidal and only had a BB gun.
The city took to Facebook once they were made aware that once again they were going viral for all the wrong reasons.
“This afternoon the Mesa Police Department was made aware of a Facebook post showing an elderly female with injuries sustained during a critical encounter with Mesa officers. The Department immediately initiated an inquiry and contacted the individuals involved. We can confirm that the incident in question is related to an emergency call for service on February 14, 2018, in Mesa reference a suicidal subject with a gun. Officers were told the subject in question was a male and he was in a vehicle in front of the residence. Upon arrival officers observed a male matching the description provided exiting the described vehicle and going toward the residence where they lost visual sight of him. Officers made verbal announcements toward the residence when an elderly female came to the door and stepped out. The female complied with the officers’ commands to walk toward them. Once she was near them, she appeared to show confusion and attempted to return to the residence. In order to keep her out of harm’s way, a use of force incident occurred with the female, who was injured. Officers summoned medical attention immediately and she was transported to a local hospital. The male subject was subsequently contacted and the scene was secured. A BB gun was located inside the residence and based on his statements, electronic communications with family, and the totality of circumstances, he was transported for evaluation. Our officers are trained to be considerate and respectful of all citizens. These situations are fluid and can pose a risk for anyone involved. Rest assured – we are dedicated to the safety of everyone in our community. The Department has initiated an internal review to determine whether our officers acted consistent with our professional standards and training.”
This is not the first time Mesa Police Department used excessive force and it made headlines.
Two months ago, multiple Mesa police officers beat a man for not sitting on the ground.
Two years ago, Mesa Police department made international headlines when one of their officers made a man crawl on his knees before shooting him to death.
“I just want nobody else to be treated like I was,” Archer told WPTV.
Archer is currently seeking monetary damages in the lawsuit.
