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An Alabama police officer is on the receiving end of major internet outrage after a video went viral of her using a stun gun on a man in handcuffs. On Saturday, December 2, the Pickens County Reform Police Department officer was filmed swearing and laughing at a man already on the ground before proceeding to use the stun gun, after which the man began to cry.
The video of the incident went viral, and the man was identified as Micah Washington. He was arrested on five charges, including drug trafficking and resisting arrest, and the cop involved was placed on leave.
Netizens were disgusted by the actions of the police officer and wanted her fired and arrested. One Instagram user commented:
Outraged netizens call for the arrest of the police officer
The incident took place during a traffic stop on Saturday. Micah Washington, 24, was placed in handcuffs by a female Reform Police Department officer before being pushed against the car hood.
A video shared by Micah's girlfriend, Jalexis Monea Rice, shows Micah, who was initially on the ground, being brought up to lean face down on the hood of a car by the officer, after which she asked him to stand still and proceeded to search him. Micah said:
"I ain’t doing s**t, bro. I got a gun right there."
The officer let out a laugh and yelled "Oh yeah!" before pointing and shooting a stun gun directly at the back of the confused, handcuffed man. "Oh My God!", Micah yelled as the officer asked him to "shut the f**k up" and held down his head while he cried. "Do you want it again?" asked the officer before yelling, "Shut your b**h a*s up!".
Netizens were extremely enraged with the actions of the police officer and were not quite satisfied with her only being placed on leave. People wanted her fired from the department and then arrested for "unnecessary excessive force." A lot of social media users alleged that the white police officer was being racist towards the black man in handcuffs.
Many users were disgusted and alleged that this might not have been the first time that she had acted in such a manner. The Shade Room's Instagram post of the incident went viral, amassing over 4.6 million views. Here are a few reactions to the post:
Micah Washington was arrested for five charges: possession of marijuana, resisting arrest, obstructing governmental operations, possessing a firearm as an ex-felon, and drug trafficking (fentanyl trafficking, according to District Attorney Andy Hamlin). He is being held at the Pickens County Jail for a $500,000 bond.
In a statement, Reform Police Chief Richard Black and Mayor Melody Davis announced that the police officer was being placed on administrative leave. They added,
"The department is in the process of turning over all materials related to this arrest to the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation and has requested a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the arrest."
On Monday, December 4, members of the community, Micah's family, and his girlfriend conducted a protest rally at the Reform Municipal Building, condemning the actions of the officer and calling for Micah to be freed.
