Police use Taser to subdue man stealing food from salad bar at Chuck-E-Cheese

[RedFanAlways1966]

Now you have.

And this lead to a taser shock. When? When they noticed him stealing or when they tried to question the guy and he resisted them?

No mention of that from Ms. Mayo or the reporter. I am sure something more happened... but sometimes I allow logic to get in the way.

Found this on Google (I guess the poor thief didn't want to show proof of purchase or abide by the officers orders)...

AURORA - A 19-year-old man was being held for investigation of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and trespassing after a skirmish with Aurora police Sunday at a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant.

Officers used a Taser stun gun to subdue the man, who allegedly refused to show proof that he had paid to be eating food in the restaurant. Aurora police spokesman Larry Martinez said a struggle broke out after police asked the man to step outside the business to resolve the matter.

[westofyou]

http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/lo...584226,00.html

Aurora police spokesman Larry Martinez said restaurant employees confronted the man, identified Monday as 29-year-old Danon Gale, after they saw him "loading" his plate with salad.

Police spokesman Larry Martinez said Gale became belligerent and began cursing, then told the manager he had lost his receipt.

Officers were dispatched on a report of a "larceny in progress." When they arrived, they asked Gale to step outside to resolve the dispute out of the view of other customers.

The restaurant, which seats a maximum of 562 people, was teeming with weekend birthday party crowds and families.

"There's a lot of people, little ones, there," Martinez said. "Let's try to resolve this issue outside. But he just started cussing and using a four-letter word. He was yelling and screaming."

Martinez said Gale escalated the encounter by shoving one of the officers. The two officers responded by attempting to put him in a wrist hold, but he continued flailing.

"He's fighting with them. He's told he needs to settle down, but he won't do it. They fall into a booth," Martinez said.

An officer used a Taser twice.

The less-lethal weapon, which resembles a handgun, fires needlelike probes as far as 21 feet. The probes are connected to a wire that delivers a 26-watt charge, causing the subject's muscles to lock up for five seconds.

The first time, Gale showed no reaction. Minutes later, the officer got closer and was able to make direct contact, shocking Gale for 2 to 5 seconds, Martinez said.

Police arrested him as his two children, 3 and 7, watched.

"Management had asked him to stop. The police officers asked him to stop. None of this, none of this, would have taken place if this gentleman had done one thing - complied with the officers and went outside."

But Mayo, who said she does not know Gale, said she and several other customers were horrified. She alleged that the manager and officers incited the situation.

"One of the officers kept poking the gentleman in the chest. He said, 'You don't have to do that.' He did not put his hands on them, and anyone in the Chuck E. Cheese would tell you that," Mayo said.

She added that Gale's children were "screaming and hollering and crying" as the tussle continued.

She said the officers knocked Gale down, forcing him to fall on the lap of her sister, who was sitting two booths away, holding a 10-month-old baby.

"It was really bad," Mayo said. "All that for a salad. We were like, 'We'll pay for the salad.' It was not handled correctly at all."

Mayo said the officers left the restaurant with Gale in handcuffs. His two children, still sobbing, remained behind until customers reached out to police to contact another family member.

[919191]

This will most likely be made into a movie. I think it will be titled "The Life of Danon Gale".

[CaiGuy]

I wonder who to believe, the police or "Mayo"

[westofyou]

I wonder who to believe, the police or "Mayo"

It's times like this that I ask the eternal question..... What would Big Boy do?

[traderumor]

Apparently, salad bars often lead to confrontation. Bobby Knight's last episode was at a salad bar. Might be the chemicals used to make the lettuce appear green. 60 Minutes should look into it.

[GAC]

Clint would have just drove his car through the store window and then came out with his magnum firing...case closed.

Another situation where the police are "damned if you do, and damned if you don't".

If you were a police officer in that situation RF, what would you have done?

[Redsfaithful]

Clint would have just drove his car through the store window and then came out with his magnum firing...case closed.

Another situation where the police are "damned if you do, and damned if you don't".

If you were a police officer in that situation RF, what would you have done?

No idea. I'm not arguing with what the police did, I just didn't think the article was at all biased.

[KronoRed]

It's times like this that I ask the eternal question..... What would Big Boy do?

I used to go out and silly string the local big boy, just for laughs

[RedFanAlways1966]

No idea. I'm not arguing with what the police did, I just didn't think the article was at all biased.

Okay. I read the original article and then I read the article that westofyou posted... no difference? To each his own, I guess. You tried to tell me earlier that they did quote the police in that BIASED article. Then westofyou's post showed that the police said a lot more than the BIASED article. Can you argue this, RF?

Parenting...

Good parent in Chuck-E-Cheese: Kids, that man was wrong. He tried to eat something that he did not pay for and then did not lisetn to the police officers. You never take or eat something that is not yours and you do not steal. You listen to police and abide by what they say to you. If not, then you may be arrested.

Bad parent in Chuck-E-Cheese: Ms. Mayo. Kids, these cops are wrong. They are always beating us down. It is not like the man did something major... just petty theft. He doesn't have to listen to that crap from the officers. He should find a good lawyer and sue.

My guess is that salad-man had bad parents. Or he had good parnets and did not listen to them. Perhaps he has an anti-authoritarian attitude (imagine that).

Judge Judy might say, "Had the man not stole in the 1st place, this would have never of happened. However, when the employees first accused him and he could not produce a receipt (b/c he was wrong and stealing) he probably could have apologized and paid for the salad bar. But noooooooo... he was going to fight the system. He is an idiot who brought this on to himself by stealing. He is an idiot who brought further problems by ignoring the employees and then the police. He was wrong and he is an idiot."

[TeamCasey]

Perhaps he wasn't guilty of stealing the salad.

[Roy Tucker]

I think the entire senior staff and executive board of Chuck E. Cheese should be repeatedly tasered for putting parents through the experience of an evening at Chuck E. Cheese.

[zombie-a-go-go]

You know what's sad? When you post a news bit because it's a funny story, and people get up in arms over it. Can't anyone just sit back and enjoy the absurdity of a moron getting tasered because of a salad bar?

And for the record, I have no problem with what the police did. If the struggle had continued, children might have been hurt.

But... c'mon. It's funny.

[RedFanAlways1966]

Perhaps he wasn't guilty of stealing the salad.

A simple proof of purchase, which he was asked, would have proven it. I would assume that Chuck-E-Cheese gives a certain type of plate and/or bowl for those who paid for a salad bar. My guess is that salad-man did not have the proper plate and of course did not have a proof of purchase (b/c he didn't pay for it). If he did have a receipt, then he is definitely an idiot for not showing it. Lost it, some might say? Possible, but highly unlikely. More likely that he got busted and then was too darn proud to admit to it when first questioned. That would make me say that most of the kids eating there probably had more maturity than salad-man. His $6 salad theft will end up costing him more than that... in court costs alone. Of course thieves like this end up causing honest people like us to pay more for things. Companies pass those theft losses on to the consumer. I love to see a thief get nailed. Especially one who does these things in front of a bunch of kids. Not much of an example.

I wasn't there, so nothing is for sure. But I have been around long enough and have seen enough in my time to take a good stab at this one. I have also been around long enough to know when an article is telling about 10% of the real story.

[Larry Schuler]

"It was really bad," Mayo said. "All that for a salad. We were like, 'We'll pay for the salad.' It was not handled correctly at all."

I like that thinking.

You can steal something as long as you offer to pay for it when you are caught.