Wyomissing police officers acted appropriately during the arrest, according to Berks County District Attorney John Adams.Posting his decision on Facebook, the DA said police had been called over reports an individual was “riding a bicycle through the store, playing loud music and yelling profanities at other shoppers.”
He said Gracius was asked by the manager to leave the store but refused. When police arrived she told officers he was paying for the bike, but had been “weaving back and forth in the aisles, hitting some shopping carts and almost hitting other shoppers.”She said she told him to leave but he replied “You’re not going to tell me what to do.”
today in walmart (1135 berkshire blvd in Wyomissing, PA) the police unnecessarily used excessive force by tazing a black man who did NOTHING WRONG. (1) pic.twitter.com/MJ7q3vOPu0
— layla (@syrianflowers) July 21, 2020
The defendant was detained by the Wyomissing Police and at all times during the encounter, the Wyomissing Police showed restraint, acted professionally, and did a good job deescalating the situation with the defendant, Stanley Gracius,” the DA wrote.”Mr. Gracius did not in any manner abide by the requests of not only the store manager of Walmart, but also the requests of the officers themselves.”
if only he knew what it's like to be a freaking minority in this country. but alas! ACAB. (9) pic.twitter.com/HzsY2gKmmV
— layla (@syrianflowers) July 21, 2020
“Based on our review of this incident, the officers of the Wyomissing Police Department acted appropriately when they arrested this individual who was causing a disturbance in the Walmart store.”Gracius was charged with Aggravated Assault, Simple Assault, Disarming Law Enforcement Officer, Resisting Arrest, Defiant Trespass and Disorderly Conduct.
He pointed out Gracius has a “prior criminal history involving a similar incident” from 2014 when he pled guilty to disarming law enforcement and criminal trespass.A judge set his bail at $2,500.
