Cops Tackled a Grandma With Dementia Picking Flowers, Bodycam Footage Shows
The officer grabbed the 73-year-old woman, threw her to the grass, and twisted her arms behind her back.
www.vice.com
It's come to light that last summer police followed a woman walking home who had been accused of shoplifting from a local walmart, they had their lights on and it appeared the woman did not notice them. When she finally stopped to pick wildflowers, officers asked her why she failed to stop, at which point she gave them a blank expression, said something unintelligible and then attempted to move away. Officer Austin Hopp then grabbed the 73 year-old woman, Karen Garner who has dementia, shoved her to the grass and pulled her arms behind her back, wildflowers still clutched in her hand. A second officer arrived to assist with the arrest, as Officer Hopp shoved her arm into a painful upward position. Officers repeatedly threw her to the ground before hogtying her and placing her in the back of a police vehicle where she cried repeatedly "I'm going home." Garner was transported to the hospital several hours later where it was reported she had a dislocated shoulder, a fractured humerus bone, a sprained wrist, and a multitude of bruises across her body. Garner's family is now suing the the police department "While Garner’s children were doing their best to keep an eye on her, she slipped out to Walmart the afternoon of her arrest, Schielke said. Later, Garner wound up wandering out of the store without paying for Pepsi, a candy bar, a T-shirt, and some stain-removing wipes—worth less than $14 altogether." The Walmart security staff called police after retrieving the items from Garner and refusing her attempt to pay. She was charged with theft of less than $50, obstructing a peace officer and resisting arrest. The charges were then dismissed in August. "The intense encounter with police has still left its scars, though. Garner’s children have told Schielke that she’s able to find some peace playing solitaire, listening to music, or doing crafts at a memory care facility, but has otherwise become withdrawn and mistrustful. They noted that in the past, Garner was the ultimate, crafty home-maker, who loved to go to concerts and play cards."
In spite of her having shoplifted, which you can almost guarantee was unintentional, this article has my blood absolutely boiling. It hits very close to home, so I know how scared this woman was while she was being manhandled by these officers. I understand they likely thought she was just a crazy woman, but when you have a 5 foot tall, 80lbs elderly woman who appears to be mentally impaired and she's resisting because she's terrified, you DON'T FUCKING TACKLE THAT WOMAN AND WRENCH HER ARMS BEHIND HER BACK. You ignorant fucks. Have an ambulance come, place her on a hold until family can be located and let her go on her way. It's patently obvious when someone has dementia and they don't know what they're doing. Learn the signs, you fucking morons. Dammit I hate these kinds of things. I'm terrified it's what's going to happen to my mother if she ever gets out on her own. She can't communicate effectively, she's frail, she's "stolen" $14 worth of things, which they recovered before the police encountered her...just what the fuck? Train these officers on how to recognize dementia, and how to interact with someone who has it!
