Police Officer pushes paraplegic man out of wheelchair

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12xqKXuJ310

“Now you’re going to jail!” say the officers to the paraplegic.


The police department in Lafayette, Indiana, has released dash cam footage which shows lieutenant Tom Davidson pushing over Nicholas Kincade, a 25-year-old paraplegic who uses a motorized wheelchair to get around.

The incident took place in October of 2013. Police were called to the scene after receiving reports that Kincade was armed with a gun near a charter school.

There was no gun but, police told him he could be charged with trespassing and ordered him to leave.

As Kincade was leaving he accidentally ran over Davidson’s foot provoking the belligerent officer to shove the wheelchair-bound man to the ground.

Kincade was arrested on a count of battery on a law enforcement officer and taken to jail by an ambulance. The charge was later dismissed.

“It’s clear to us that the whole use of force in this case could have been avoided just by different positioning, by offset positioning, by moving out of the way, by not standing where he was standing,” said Police Chief Patrick Flannelly Tuesday.

There’s almost four seconds between the time Kincade’s wheelchair starts moving and when it runs over Davidson’s foot.

“Police officers cannot put themselves in a position where the subsequent need to use force is created. We can’t do that,” said Flannelly.

Lorton’s dash cam video continues. Kincade repeats that he didn’t see Davidson.

Almost four minutes later, after Kincade has been moved, Davidson goes back to talk to him.

“Nick, do you understand why I shoved you off me? Because you were driving up on my leg,” Davidson says.

Kincade responds with “I didn’t mean to.”

Flannelly said after an internal review of the incident, he and six other members of the command staff unanimously felt Davidson used both conduct unbecoming an officer and an excessive use of force and should be fired.

Davidson was not fired. Instead he received a 30 day suspension.

I guess the officer was overwheelmed. Haha.