Lakeland Police Chief Releases Video of Violent Encounter Between Officers and 16-Year-Old Boy
Lakeland, Fla. – Lakeland Police Chief Sam Taylor has released new video and information regarding a violent confrontation between a 16-year-old boy and two officers at the Caroline Apartments on May 27. The incident, which started as a response to trespassing at a community swimming pool, quickly escalated into a physical altercation between the teenager and law enforcement officers.
According to the Lakeland Police Department, officers arrived at the apartment complex in response to complaints of teenagers trespassing at the pool, a location known for repeated trespassing issues. The officers spent about 15 minutes trying to determine who among the teens lived at the property. However, when the 16-year-old refused to identify himself or provide an apartment number, tensions rose.
Chief Taylor stated that the officers asked the teens to leave the area, as none were verified residents. As they began to disperse, the 16-year-old allegedly made disparaging remarks toward the woman who had called the police, referring to her as a “white Karen.” At that point, the situation intensified.
Dr. Clayton Cowart, a spokesperson and advocate for the 16-year-old, disputed the police narrative, claiming that the Lakeland Police Department selectively presented the body camera footage. While there is partial audio from the body cameras, much of the conversation between the officers and the teenager remains inaudible, leading Cowart to question the objectivity of the footage. “He [the chief] wasn’t there. He’s given a narrative of it. So why don’t we hear this exchange taking place?” Cowart asked.
When the 16-year-old continued his verbal confrontation, one of the officers reportedly attempted to arrest him for his aggressive behavior and refusal to comply with commands. According to Taylor, the teen resisted arrest, refusing to allow the officers to put his arms behind his back. The officers struggled to restrain him, and during the altercation, the teen allegedly struck one officer in the face and grabbed at the officer’s radio.
In an attempt to gain control, the primary officer struck the teenager in the head. The situation escalated as a second officer grabbed the teen’s hair while the first officer continued to punch him. The encounter was captured on video, showing the teen pressed against a wall as he was repeatedly struck.
Taylor defended the officers’ actions, stating that the use of force was in line with their training and that the teenager was actively resisting. The situation ultimately ended when officers deployed a stun device, subduing the teen and placing him under arrest.
“This incident would not have happened had the subject simply complied with the officer’s lawful command,” Taylor said. “The fact that he was willing to resist and actively fight the police officers until he was tased, and once he was tased the fight was over.”
Despite Taylor’s defense of the officers, the state attorney ultimately dropped the charges against the 16-year-old. This decision has led to questions from Cowart and the teen’s supporters. “If these facts are the case, we never had a chance to hear those because the state attorney decided ‘I don’t think this is something that we want to waste our time in court with,’” Cowart stated. He argued that the decision to drop the charges indicated that the evidence against the teen was insufficient for prosecution.
Taylor addressed the dropped charges, explaining that the state attorney’s office considers multiple factors, including the defendant’s criminal history and the nature of the case. However, Taylor emphasized that the state attorney agreed there was probable cause for an arrest.
Concerns about the officers’ use of force on a minor have also been raised, though Taylor argued that the officers were unaware of the suspect’s age at the time of the arrest. He referenced recent incidents involving young individuals, including a 13-year-old who shot a police officer in the foot last year and an 18-year-old who fired at two officers the previous week, to highlight the potential dangers officers face, regardless of a suspect’s age.
The 911 caller, who initiated the complaint about trespassing, has since faced threats following the incident and has reportedly moved out of her home for safety reasons.
As the incident continues to generate controversy, both the police department and advocates for the teenager are calling for transparency and accountability in the handling of the case.
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