OPA-LOCKA, Fla. – Police have released body-worn camera footage of the rough arrest of a 19-year-old from September.
Opa-locka officers tried to get Jafet Castro-Reyes to a psychiatric hospital for treatment after being called out by his family, but they say he was combative and they used a Taser on him.
Castro-Reyes’ family members say officers went too far with their force, but after a review, police say they acted within departmental policy.
Family called 911 after Castro-Reyes was becoming violent at his apartment on York street on Sept. 21, according to Opa-locka’s city manager.
“We have a family member who’s gone crazy,” a caller tells a 911 operator in Spanish in audio of the call that was also released.
When officers got to the scene, they found family members had tied up Castro-Reyes with wire and extension cable.
The officers tried to get him to a psychiatric hospital for treatment, but the bodycam video shows he wasn’t going willingly.
They tased him several times, but Opa-Locka’s city manager says Castro-Reyes used incredible strength to resist, possibly indicating he was high on a drug like PCP or Flakka.
Eventually, cops ended up dragging him down the stairs, feet first.
Castro-Reyes' family, and one neighbor who witnessed the incident called the police’s actions “very unnecessary.”
“I think it’s wrong because we called the police for help, not for bad attitude,” cousin Erlin Varela said last month. “They put a taser, not one time, three times. They put a taser and I think that’s wrong.”
Some of the officers were injured while responding to that call.