Benton Harbor officials are facing tough questions from citizens who are upset about body cam and surveillance video that shows a police officer punching a suspect after a chase.
It began with a traffic stop and a foot chase on December 28. It ended at a Marathon gas station with Officer Drew Wagner using his taser and what’s being called “excessive and unnecessary force”. That’s the claim of an official complaint written by the suspect in question. Public Safety Director Dan McGinnis says the claims are not true, and 27 year-old Michael Thompson was still resisting arrest after he was tased.
At a meeting Tuesday night, Mayor Marcus Muhammad urged citizens to “hold fast” until the investigation can be completed.