FULTON COUNTY, Ga. – The 18-year-old high school student who was stunned by a Taser by a police officer on a school bus last week said he did nothing wrong.
Lanier Johnson-Hunt, 18, spoke at a news conference Tuesday about the incident, which has been viewed by millions online.
He showed scars on his chest where taser prongs appeared to have penetrated his skin.
Contrary to what the police officer said in the video, Johnson-Hunt said he was on the correct bus and was adamant about getting home to his 6-year-old brother, who has autism.
“He was merely trying to get home to take care of his little brother. He was on the right bus,” said Gerald Griggs, president of the Georgia NAACP, at the news conference.
Officer seen Tasing student on bus
A viral video shows a Fulton County Schools police officer Tasing a student who refused to get off the bus. The school district says the officer has been removed from active duty pending an investigation. FOX 5’s Rob DiRienzo has the story.
ORIGINAL STORY: Video shows officer Tasing student on Fulton County school bus
What we know:
Video recorded by another student on the bus at Langston Hughes High School shows a school police officer tasing Johnson-Hunt after a bus driver called the school claiming the teen was not on the correct bus.
Administrators ordered every student off the bus before allowing them back on without verifying their bus assignments, Johnson-Hunt said.
When Fulton County Schools police officers responded, one appeared to grab the teen by the neck after he refused to get out of his seat.
The officer then appeared to drag the student off the bus before the sound of a taser was heard again.
Johnson-Hunt said he had ridden the same bus for years without any problems.
He said that after being tased and handcuffed, the officer slapped him and attempted to tase him again until administrators intervened.
Johnson-Hunt said he weighs about 115 pounds, and his attorney argues that level of force was not necessary.
Timeline:
The incident happened last Thursday outside the school.
Johnson-Hunt and his mother spoke to the media Tuesday. Fulton County Schools confirmed the officer involved was removed from duty during an internal investigation and called the incident isolated but declined to provide further comment following the news conference.
The teen’s attorneys said he was suspended for 10 days and charged with obstruction, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct.
His mother said she initially trusted the situation would be handled appropriately.
“I was like, okay, if he did something wrong, then you guys handle it. But then when I got the complete truth, it hurt,” Sharrita Johnson said.
Griggs said the use of force was unreasonable because the order was not lawful.
“Simply because he goes to this school, Tinker vs. Des Moines will tell you, that doesn’t mean he’s shed his constitutional rights,” Griggs said.
What’s next:
The teen’s family has not taken legal action but has not ruled it out.
They want his suspension lifted so he can return to class and the charges dropped.
The officer remains on administrative duty following the incident.
