DETROIT – A Detroit man’s social media post, showing his face cut near the eye and describing what he calls an “illegal and brutal” encounter with police, is now going viral.
The Detroit Police Department said there’s much more to the story, releasing body camera footage on Monday (Oct. 20).
What Gjervon Rodney Williams Said Happened
In a Facebook post shared under the name Mission Impossible, Gjervon Williams, who is on probation for assault with a dangerous weapon, larceny, and other weapons charges, said he was parked at a tire shop near 7 Mile Road and Hubbell Avenue around 3 p.m. on Oct. 13 when two men approached him.
According to Williams, the men did not identify themselves as police officers and had no visible squad car nearby.
“They just said, ‘Mr. Williams, you have warrants.’ I didn’t know who they were, so I asked, ‘Mr. Williams, who?’”
Williams wrote that the men ordered him to “walk this way” without explanation.
Still confused about who they were, Williams wrote that he ran.
But moments later, after surrendering with his hands up, he said he was shot in the head and eye with a taser, sending “over 1,500 volts” through his body.
Williams said the taser hit caused cuts that required stitches to his eyelid and eyebrow.
He also said he already suffers from epilepsy and now faces partial or possibly permanent vision loss in his right eye.
“What was done to me was cruel and unusual,” Williams wrote. “I will not stop until justice is served.”
What Detroit police say happened
Detroit Police Captain Timothy Jones laid out a very different version of events.
“When you see a video on social media, people jump to conclusions,” Jones said. “Policing doesn’t always look good, especially when force is used. But these officers were professional and gave him the chance to do the right thing, and he took it upon himself to do the wrong thing.”
Jones said at 4:25 p.m., officers from the 12th Precinct were westbound on 7 Mile near Hubbell when they ran a “LEIN query” (a warrant check) on a vehicle in front of them.
The search revealed the owner, identified as Williams, had two felony warrants.
Before police could initiate a traffic stop, Jones said Williams pulled into the tire shop.
Officers, in an unmarked “scout car” but wearing modified uniforms marked with ‘POLICE,’ approached him, Jones said.
According to police, Williams initially denied knowing about any warrants and gave officers a false name, his brother’s name.
When they confirmed his true identity, they told him he was under arrest. That’s when, police said, he ran.
Jones said Williams led officers on a brief foot chase through a nearby neighborhood before attempting to jump a fence.
“As he was coming down, his back was toward our officer,” said Jones. “The officer discharged the taser, and simultaneously, Williams was turning around. That’s why he was struck in the eyebrow.”
Williams went to the ground and was handcuffed. Officers said he then told them he ran because he was scared and admitted he knew about the warrants.
Jones confirmed that Williams was checked at the scene by medics but did not go to the hospital, as “there was no need to.”
When asked about Williams’ claim that officers failed to identify themselves, Jones said the men were clearly Detroit Police officers wearing black tactical uniforms with “POLICE” markings and operating out of a marked scout car.
What witnesses at the tire shop said
Employees at the tire shop on 7 Mile Road confirmed that Williams pulled in asking for help with one of his tires.
Employees spoke to Williams for a brief moment before Williams began speaking with the police and suddenly took off running.
The tire shop provided Local 4 with multiple angles of surveillance video, showing Williams standing by his car, speaking with police, and running near an alley and neighborhood.
DPD confirms internal investigation
Jones acknowledged that being struck above the neck with a taser is against department training, even if unintentional.
“They’re taught not to aim toward the face,” Jones said. “But because of the suspect’s movement while fleeing, he was accidentally struck there.”
Jones confirmed the department’s Force Investigation Unit is handling the case. The officer who fired the taser remains on active duty pending the outcome.