Police: Resource officer used Taser on woman who refused to wear mask, leave Ohio middle school football game
LOGAN, Ohio (WOIO) - An Ohio woman is facing criminal charges after refusing to follow school policies and leave a youth football game when asked, according to police.
The Logan Police Department said School Resource Officer Chris Smith was working a seventh and eighth grade football game at Logan High School on Wednesday evening.
Smith’s duties included ensuring fans and athletes were in compliance to guidelines from the CDC, Ohio Department of Health, Ohio Athletic Association, and Logan-Hocking School District while in attendance.
One of the district’s policy is that all spectators wear a mask when on school property, including at athletic functions.
According to Logan police, Smith saw a woman, later identified as Alecia Kitts, in the stands without a mask.
After being told by the school resource officer several times to put on a mask, Kitts said she had asthma and refused to put her face covering on.
Kitts continued to disobey Smith’s requests, and she was asked to leave the stadium or face a citation for trespassing.
Logan police say Officer Smith attempted to arrest Kitts, but she resisted and pulled away multiple times.
After a verbal warning, Officer Smith used his Taser on Kitts shoulder area. He was then successfully able to handcuff her and remove her from the stadium.
A video shared on Facebook shows the alleged interaction:
“It is important to note, the female was not arrested for failing to wear a mask, she was asked to leave the premises for continually violating school policy. Once she refused to leave the premises, she was advised she was under arrest for criminal trespassing, she resisted the arrest, which led to the use of force,” Logan police wrote on Facebook.
Kitts was charged with criminal trespassing and was released from police custody at the scene.
Additional charges for Kitts, as well as for a second female who interfered with the arrest, are pending.
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