An off-duty Alabama police officer tackled a Walmart shopper because she was not wearing a face mask.
What We Know:
- An Alabama police officer was caught on video seemingly body-slaming a customer at a Walmart this week after she refused to wear a face mask and become disorderly. The video went viral on social media.
- The Birmingham Police Department stated “We are aware of the video circulating on social media and local news outlets depicting a recent interaction between an off-duty BPD officer and an individual at the Roebuck Walmart”.
- Sargent Rod Mauldin adressed the incident on Thursday on Facebook. He said the woman became irrate when an employee told her to wear face mask, which can prevent the potential transmission of the coronavirus to others.
A woman faces charges after an altercation with an officer at an Alabama Walmart that was captured on video.
Birmingham Police said the reason the officer contacted the woman was for disorderly conduct and not just the violation of face mask ordinance. https://t.co/LA969upvHt pic.twitter.com/fO93EsAYAY
— AL.com (@aldotcom) May 8, 2020
- Birmingham still has their shelter in-place order and have a requirement to wear a face mask in public to help prevent the spread of the virus.
- Sargent Mauldin says the woman faces disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, third-degree criminal tresspassing, possession of marijuana, and unlawful possession of a controled substance charges.
- An investigation into use-of-force was launched following the altercation.
Alabama has more than 9,046 confirmed coronavirus cases and at least 369 deaths from the virus as of Friday morning.
