In December of 2018, Tyriq Reddic was walking to the gas station and before making it to his destination, was ambushed by five police officers and physically assaulted. Mr. Reddic was surrounded by five armed officers antagonizing him and tormenting him as Mr. Reddic complies with the officers’ requests and answers to their unprovoked questioning, he is punched in his face twice and taken to jail.
On the evening of December 3, 2018, Mr. Reddic was headed to the local gas station to make a purchase when he was abruptly and without provocation, stopped and ambushed by five armored Detroit police officers. Mr. Reddic is seen in the police body camera surrounded by five-armed officers, being asked “What's going on?” “You good?” “Do you need help?” and being told “You have a weird ass coat.” As Mr. Reddic is answering their questions, even explaining his “coat” to be a “hoodie” and not a coat, the five-armed officers are continuing to laugh at, ridicule and ask Mr. Reddic “what's good?” Before Mr. Reddic could finish his statement, Officer Anthony Smith was handing his coffee to his commanding officer, taking his hat off his head, and stepping up to Mr. Reddic getting in his face, as if Officer Smith were ready to fight. Mr. Reddic immediately says, “I'm not going to hit you,” “You have a badge on,” and puts his hands up. Officer Smith is seen in Mr. Reddic’s face and heard continuously saying, “shoot your shot” “shoot your shot,”
Mr. Reddic responds “Shoot what shot? I don't got no shot,” now with his hands, voluntarily, behind his back. Officer Smith tells Mr. Reddic “Let me now when you’re ready”, as Mr. Reddic is responding, Mr. Reddic is shocked twice in his face. Mr. Reddic stumbles back a couple of steps, as the five police officers are heard laughing, and provoking him to retaliate. One Officer is even heard saying “Oh shit, peace up.” When Mr. Reddic fails to retaliate, he is immediately arrested and thrown into one of the squad cars.
Mr. Reddic did not imagine going to the gas station and instead ending up cornered by five armed police officers, bullied, physically assaulted, and ultimately arrested.
The acts of these five police officers are nothing different of high school bullies picking on the unpopular kid. It was no different than a group of thugs ganging up on an innocent victim. It is not tolerated amongst civilians, and it should not be tolerated in our police force. As a community we should not set a precedented standard that police officers can abuse their power to pick on vulnerable citizens. This officer intentionally provoked Mr. Reddic, antagonized him, made face to face contact with him, and physically assaulted him, then used his power to arrest Mr. Reddic.
This unwarranted and unprovoked attack and arrest left Mr. Reddic in violation of his probation and got him ninety days in the psych ward.
When will police officers be trusted, when will police officers protect and serve, the people they have sworn to protect.
