Michigan Deputy Shoves Black Father Who Raised His Hands

Body-camera footage released by the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office shows Deputy — identified only as a sheriff’s deputy — ordering a man to lie down while the man, Derrick Tinsley, 35, stood with both arms raised. After repeated commands, the deputy physically shoves Tinsley to the ground and handcuffs him. The video, which quickly spread online, sparked public outrage over the use of force against a person who appeared to be complying.

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Deputies responded to a domestic-violence call in which a woman alleged her boyfriend had attempted to shoot her. Officers established a perimeter with police vehicles and crime-scene tape. Although Tinsley was not the suspect, he drove his vehicle into the taped area, ran over a tire-deflation device, and stopped after a deputy ordered him to exit the car. When Tinsley complied by standing beside his vehicle with his hands raised, the deputy again demanded he get on the ground before using force.

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Sheriff Alyshia Dyer announced that Internal Affairs would conduct a formal investigation into the incident, including the force used during the arrest. The sheriff’s office reported that Tinsley sustained only a minor knee scrape and denied any serious injury. It also rejected circulating rumors that Tinsley had died, labeling those claims “false and inaccurate.” Tinsley was subsequently charged with assaulting, resisting, or obstructing police officers and with two counts of child abuse; he spent a weekend in jail before being released on a $20,000 personal bond. The children involved in the original domestic-violence call were reported safe.

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Tinsley’s mother, Cheryl Stewart, expressed deep concern that her son may have suffered a concussion after his head neared a curb during the takedown. She noted a sudden rise in his blood pressure, which she said could indicate a brain injury, and argued that the force used was excessive once Tinsley had surrendered. Stewart also challenged the child-abuse charges, saying the grandchildren were traumatized by witnessing the arrest.

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• “Based on the nature of the concerns raised and my preliminary review, I have directed Internal Affairs to conduct a formal investigation of the incident, including the force used during the arrest,” — Sheriff Alyshia Dyer

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• “My question is, even if he was that suspect, once the person surrendered and put their hands up, why would you have to use excessive force?” — Cheryl Stewart

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