Videos show Maryland police using force on teens while enforcing boardwalk vaping ban
“My trip to ocean city ended in 4 young black boys being abused and arrested over a vape and for standing up against the foolishness of the police” Instagram user @lodogray wrote in the caption. Brian Anderson, 19, Kamere Day, 19, Jahtique Joseph John Lewis, 18, and Khalil Dwayne Warren, 19 were arrested by Ocean City police following an encounter on the boardwalk.
The incident took place on June 12 just before 8:30 pm when patrolling on foot when they saw a group of people. Police went up to the group and local ordinances prohibit vaping outside of designated areas. However, when the group walked away officers noticed a group of people vaping near 12th Street.
According to law enforcement authorities, confronted the group a another time Anderson wouldn’t identify himself. Officers placed him under arrest for not providing ID, he resisted and was charged with disorderly conduct, resistance and interference with arrest, second-degree assault and failure to give proof of ID.
Authorities says that as Anderson was being arrested, Day approached and started yelling profanities before he was also placed under arrest for disorderly conduct. He was charged with disorderly conduct, obstructing and hindering, failure to obey a reasonable and lawful order, resistance and interference with arrest, second-degree assault.
Lewis allegedly pushed a public safety aide, attempting to pick up a police bicycle and attempted to strike an aide. Lewis was charged with disorderly conduct, failure to obey a reasonable and lawful order, obstructing & hindering, second-degree assault, and resistance and interference with arrest. Warren was charged with trespassing-posted property, resistance and interference with arrest after officers asked him to leave. All four men were released after being seeing a Maryland District Court Commissioner.
In an earlier incident, a video from June 6 shows a teen stand with his hands raised, then appear to reach toward the straps of his backpack as if to take it off as officers ordered him to the ground. The teen was tased.
“Are you serious?” a bystander asked. “Ya’ll did that for no reason.”
Video shows the teen was then carried away by officers. According to bystanders, he was hogtied as officers removed him from the scene.
The Washington Post reported that the video was taken on June 6 and shows 18-year-old Taizier Griffin being hit with a taser while in Ocean City with friends for Senior Week.