PG County Cop Suspended for Lying in Report: Video Reveals Officer Assaulted Unarmed Black Man from Behind
/From [HERE] A Prince George's County Police officer has been suspended after surveillance video contradicted his version of events, stemming from a police-involved shooting in Brentwood on Feb 3, sources tell ABC7 News. Paula Dorm's 19-year-old son Ryan has been locked up since last Friday when he was very nearly shot by Prince Georges County Police.
Police claimed that Ryan assaulted an officer, ran and then reached for an officer's gun, causing the officer to fire. Ryan was charged with resisting arrest and assault. But now police admit a surveillance video shows that the officers involved lied about large portions of that story.
It all began when two Prince George's County detectives were in the area of Rhode Island Avenue and 38th Street on the lookout for robbers. They spotted Ryan and a friend--one allegedly wearing a mask--go into the Lowest Price Gas convenience store in the 3800 block of Rhode Island Avenue. Fearing that a crime was about to occur, the officers approached and were buzzed into the locked store by the attendant.
A police report said that Ryan Dorm swung at an officer and began to flee. The officer caught the man after a brief foot pursuit. The man then tried to reach for the officer's gun. Fearing that the man was trying to take his gun, the officer fired his gun at the man. Through his lawyer, Ryan tells ABC7 that he walked out and across the street because he didn't want any trouble.
According to sources, the newly found security video supports Ryan's claim that Cpl. Donald Taylor tackled him from behind, punched him in the back and then hit him in the head with his gun, which accidentally fired.
On Monday, the Police Inspector General announced the two officers involved have been suspended and Ryan's charges will be changed.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Ryan's lawyer said his client remains locked up and the charges haven't changed.
"My client didn't commit any crimes," said Ryan's lawyer. "He was assaulted. Right now he's being illegally detained and every day, every hour my client is incarcerated illegally, they're gonna pay for that."
No one was injured in the incident.
Taylor is a 13-year veteran of the force.