Multiple councilmembers have called for a Metro Transit Police officer to be taken off of active duty while the agency completes an investigation into his use of a taser on an unarmed man at the U Street station over the weekend.

A cellphone video of the incident was uploaded to Twitter on Sunday and it immediately garnered backlash. It shows a man walking up to speak to two officers as they are detaining a young man. Suddenly, about 25 seconds in, a third officer walks into frame and confronts the witness. The two get into a verbal confrontation, and the officer shoves the man, eventually tasing him at least twice as onlookers yell to leave him alone. The officer told officials he tased the man because he “exhibited behavior consistent with trying to fight the officer,” according to a statement by WMATA.

MTPD has opened an investigation into the officer’s behavior.

“Based on concerns raised on social media regarding the officer’s handling of the interaction, as well as the appropriateness of the use of force, the Metro Transit Police Department has initiated an investigation into the matter,” MTPD said in a statement that same night.

The United States Attorney’s Office for D.C. has not filed charges against the man who was tased, though it could choose to do so at a later date, a spokesperson told DCist.

Several D.C. councilmembers have since condemned the officer’s actions, and some of them are calling for MTPD to take the officer off active duty or eliminate his contact with the public as the investigation is completed.

At-large Councilmember Robert White wrote a letter on Monday to Metro’s Board of Directors requesting that the agency hold a public roundtable on MTPD’s “tactics for policing minors, particularly children of color.”

According to WMATA’s own account, MTPD had been called to the station that day on a report of “disorderly juveniles” at the station who were allegedly threatening passersby with sticks. Officers had detained at least two juveniles as a part of their investigation into the call, and were speaking with them when the man approached. White says he spoke to witnesses who said that two officers handcuffed and pinned a 13 year old to the ground “with an officer’s knee to his back,” generating concern from passersby. One of those passersby was the man who was eventually tased and arrested.

At-large Councilmember David Grosso tweeted on Monday that the officer should be removed from duty while the investigation unfolds.

https://twitter.com/cmdgrosso/status/1143265760984403969

Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen sent a letter to MTPD Chief Ron Pavlik Monday, also requesting that the officer be placed on non-contact status. “In the video footage that I have viewed, the actions of one officer appear to significantly escalate the interaction, resulting in a dangerous physical confrontation,” wrote Allen, who also chairs the Council’s committee on public safety.

https://twitter.com/charlesallen/status/1143263389977862144

And Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, whose ward includes the U Street station, said that “the officer should not continue to be in contact with the public while the investigation is ongoing.” She confirmed Monday with MTPD that the officer remained on full-duty status.

https://twitter.com/BrianneKNadeau/status/1143226539561144321

An MTPD spokesperson tells DCist that the officer is still on full-duty status, and did not respond to questions about whether they plan to remove him. The officer was not wearing a body camera, the spokesperson says, but station cameras captured the incident, and that footage will be made available when the investigation is complete. The agency has also provided that footage to USAO.

Gaspard Le Dem contributed reporting. This story has been updated with Metro’s comment and comment from Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen.

Previously:
Metro Police Investigating Officer’s Use Of Taser On Unarmed Man