Police are facing new allegations of inappropriate use of a Taser after a witness claimed officers apprehended the wrong person during a fight, then Tasered him.
The incident happened about 2pm yesterday in the middle of the intersection of Great North Rd, Ratanui St and Railside Ave inHenderson.
The witness, Luke Shalfoon, said a fight broke out involving a couple of men. Several people went to intervene, including a youth.
"The teenager ended up being hit by a car," Mr Shalfoon said.
"He got up and the police grabbed him. They threw him to the ground and they had a knee in his face.
"He was yelling, 'Let me go', and people were yelling out, 'You've got the wrong person'."
Mr Shalfoon said the teen was then Tasered. "He couldn't walk. They cuffed him and dragged him into the car.
"You think the police are coming to help you and they get the wrong person. There was no reason to Taser him."
Mr Shalfoon, who caught the Tasering on his cellphone camera, said three officers were holding the teen down.
"[The police] are power-happy. You should be able to trust the police. I was hoping they didn't grab me and Taser me."
Last night, police representatives gave different reasons for the use of the Taser.
Spokesman Kevin Loughlin said an officer had felt threatened, been assaulted and arrested the youth.
"The person resisted and as a result police reinforcements arrived, the offender struggled violently and was Tasered in the leg."
But Senior Sergeant Garth Stockley, asked earlier by the Herald, said no officer had been assaulted.
He said the 17-year-old was Tasered because police couldn't bring him under control after the arrest.
"We were in the middle of the road and it was only a matter of time before somebody was going to get run over."
He said five or six people were involved in the "brawl" and members of the public were pointing at the youth saying he was the aggressor.
"[The police] were completely justified in using the Taser."
The teenager is due to appear in Waitakere District Court next week.
