Florida man has a seizure while hanging Halloween decorations. Then police arrive 45 minutes later and allegedly tase him while EMS is helping him

A man who was receiving treatment from a first responder after experiencing a seizure was allegedly tased by a police officer during his medical episode. The officer has since been fired after also being accused of mistreating the emergency medical services (EMS) worker helping the man.

On Sunday, Oct. 25, Dwight Jackson was hanging up Halloween decorations at his Chattahoochee, Florida, home when he suddenly suffered a seizure and collapsed. EMS was immediately contacted by Jackson’s brother, Caleb Johns, and arrived 10 minutes after the seizure began, according to WCTV.

45 minutes after EMS began treating Jackson, however, an officer from the Chattahoochee Police Department arrived. According to Johns’ account of the incident, the officer, identified as Sgt. Price, allegedly shoved the EMS workers aside, jumped on top of Jackson, and pointed his Taser at him as Jackson was coming out of his seizure.

EMS were trying to tell the officer Jackson had a seizure

“They are all still rendering aid to him. They are already holding him down; they pretty much got it under control. This is just now when he’s starting to come back to,” Johns told WCTV. “In that moment, that’s when Price started. He shoves everyone out [of] the way and jumps on top of Dwight.”

A video of the altercation recorded by Johns was shared on Facebook. According to the post, bystanders said Jackson was flailing his arms during the seizure, but Price supposedly claimed that Jackson had grabbed at his neck, resulting in the officer allegedly discharging his Taser.

In the video, two officers can be seen holding Jackson down on the ground, with Jackson repeatedly telling Price to get off him because he had just had a seizure. An EMS worker can be heard trying to reason with Price, explaining that they had Jackson “handled.” However, Price insisted that Jackson was “actively grabbing my throat,” then asked the EMS worker if they were “dumb” and threatened to report him.

Price allegedly deployed the Taser on Jackson multiple times. The video ended with the officers attempting to place Jackson in the back of a police cruiser despite his protests. Jackson later confirmed he only sat in the police cruiser before he was released.

Police chief says officer’s actions were justified

On Wednesday, Oct. 28, Chattahoochee Police Department chief Michael Miller defended Price’s actions. According to Miller, the officer was dispatched to assist in “restraining a combative individual” and faced “physical resistance” from Jackson, who allegedly pulled on Price’s body armor.

Miller also confirmed that Price used the Taser on Jackson twice. He ultimately ruled the use of force as justified.

In response to the videos showing Price in a verbal altercation with EMS workers, Miller stated that the officer’s actions did not meet the standards and professionalism expected by the police department. As a result, Price was fired.

Recalling the incident, Jackson denied being combative and believed the situation could have ended much worse. He is now considering taking legal action.

“I think the dude would kill me. I really feel like that would have either beat me up or tried to shoot me if that taser didn’t work the next time,” Jackson said. “I’ve never experienced in my life something like this right here. That’s why I said that was more terrifying than being in the war because it’s unexpected. I’m defenseless.”

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