Mansfield Police release dash cam video of controversial arrest

MANSFIELD, Ohio (WOIO) - 19 News is learning more from Mansfield police about a questionable use of force incident.

On Tuesday, we showed you a cell phone video shot by a viewer of the arrest, but now 19 News has obtained the dashcam video from police.

The way this video was shot it’s very difficult to physically see the arrest and the officer’s use of force, but you can hear what happens very well. 19 wants to warn our viewers that the video is very disturbing.

“You’re gonna be dry stunned,” a Mansfield Police officer told the suspect.

“He’s already on the ground, why are you tasing him?” asked a witness.

“Put your hands behind your back!” an officer shouted at the suspect.

The arrest was made Thursday, Aug. 12, around 7:30 p.m. at Penn Avenue and Park Avenue West.

According to the police report, officers went to investigate someone possibly trespassing at a condemned apartment building on Douglas Avenue.

While inside the building, police said they came upon 33-year-old Bryan Benjamin. Officers said Benjamin was coming out of one of the apartment units and was carrying several unidentified items.

Police said they asked Benjamin to stop and identify himself and alerted him that he was in a condemned building. At that point, police said, Benjamin started running.

Officers finally caught him at the intersection of Penn and Park Avenue West.

“Can you give me your hands?” an officer asked Benjamin.

“I’m not doing nothing, sir,” Benjamin replied. “I didn’t do nothing wrong. I’m not doing nothing for you, sir.”

“Don’t resist you know how that ends up here, don’t resist,” one onlooker yelled.

“I did nothing wrong!” Benjamin yelled.

In the video, the suspect says he used to live in the condemned building and came to get his stuff out.

“I paid my rent on the 1st sir,” said Benjamin.

“Sir you broke into the building that’s why you’re under arrest,” the officer explained.

“How did I break into the building? I got keys!” said Benjamin.

When Benjamin continually refuses to comply with their demands to put his hands behind his back they tase him, what sounds like at least five times.

“Hit him again, hit him again!” an officer yells as Benjamin is heard screaming in the background.

“Put your hands behind your back, do it now!” the officer yells as the suspect continued to scream. “Hit him again!”

As the incident escalates, the crowd of onlookers grows.

“What should we just let him go?” an officer asked a witness.

“No but you don’t beat him up,” the onlooker replied.

“You comply, you comply, we had him under arrest over there,” the officer said. “You know nothing matters to you!”

“Listen I asked you to move along,” another officer told a woman watching from her car. “You’re blocking traffic.”

“Why did you do that to that innocent man?” asked the woman.

Mansfield police said this use of force incident is still being investigated.

Right now, none of the officers have been placed on administrative leave.

Police said two of the officers involved in the arrest were also injured. One of them had minor injuries and the other has yet to be able to return to work.

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