KELLER, Texas (AP) - Residents are demanding two Keller officers who arrested and pepper sprayed a man without cause be fired and charged.
Bodycam footage shows Marco Puente being pepper-sprayed and arrested for recording his son’s encounter with police.
Dillon Puente was pulled over for a traffic violation which his dad was recording on his phone across the street. Footage shows Officer Blake Shimanek, previously a sergeant with the department, ordering Officer Antik Tomer arrest and pepper spray Puerte for filming the arrest.
Shimanek claimed Puente blocked a roadway, but a subsequent investigation found Puente did nothing wrong. About 40,000 people have signed a petition demanding Shimanek’s termination from the department.
At a city meeting Tuesday, Keller Chief Police Brad Fortune said the way Puente and his son were treated “caused great disappointment and regret” in the department.
“As your chief of police, I repeat that I’m sorry this incident occurred on my watch,” said Fortune, who has been the Keller chief since March. “It should have never happened.”
Following an internal affairs investigation, Shimanek was demoted by two ranks and has since been taken off patrol for an unknown period of time due to safety concerns, Fortune said Tuesday night.
The other officer, Ankit Tomer, was not disciplined because Fortune said the facts didn’t warrant any discipline.
Marco Puente is now suing both officers in federal court.
Fortune announced the department will hold two town halls to further hear from the community. The town halls will be held on Jan. 11 and Jan. 21, and further details will be released on the department’s website.
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