9-Year-Old NOT Pepper Sprayed By Rochester Minnesota Police
A 9-year-old was handcuffed and pepper-sprayed in New York is causing reaction here in Rochester, Minnesota. Why? Because people tend to read headlines, but not stories. These headlines, from CNN and FOX, are pretty typical...
Rochester police officers handcuff and pepper-spray a 9-year-old girl after call of 'family trouble' (CNN)
Rochester police union president defends officers seen pepper-spraying 9-year-old girl: report (FOX)
Here's what CNN reported.
Two body camera videos of Friday's incident released by the police department on Sunday show officers restraining the child, putting her in handcuffs and attempting to get her inside the back of a police vehicle as she repeatedly cries and calls for her father.
After the girl fails to follow commands to put her feet inside the car, the officers are seen pepper-spraying her. The girl was transported to Rochester General Hospital, where she was later released, according to Rochester Deputy Police Chief Andre Anderson. Keep reading about the pepper spraying incident here.
The police involved have been suspended, and have been criticized by Rochester, NY leadership including their mayor, Mayor, Mayor Lovely Warren. However, Rochester Minnesota's Mayor has NOT criticized the incident and the Rochester Police Department, which made some folks upset, and led to this Facebook post...
In an email I asked Mayor Norton if Rochester, MN is often confused for Rochester, NY.
Mayor Norton: Yes, we are often confused with Rochester NY and I have to redirect people a lot-mostly about policing issues, but other issues as well.
Have you received a lot of calls or just a few?
Mayor Norton: Just a few so far on THIS incident. We received a call first thing this morning and I fielded an angry FB post yesterday afternoon about this incident. They express anger at the police department and why the Mayor isn’t addressing the issue.
So please, remember to click the headline before you get mad at Mayor Norton.
As always, if you have a comment, complaint, or concern about something I wrote here, please let me know: james.rabe@townsquaremedia.com
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