The father of a 16-year-old student shot with a Taser while police were breaking up a fight at Lincoln High School on Friday said his son was actually walking away from the commotion when he was struck.
"Out of nowhere here comes this police officer that my son — I guess they were kind of having words throughout the whole week — just this targets my child," Brandon Duncan told NBC 7 of his son, Jesse, whom he met at juvenile hall Sunday morning.
Cellphone video from the ACLU shows what they say is that officer deploying a Taser on 16-year-old Jesse Duncan.
"He could have simply stopped the child or you know restrained the child and that would have been that, but for you to pull your Taser out, shoot a child and continue shooting him when he's down on the ground obviously no threat to anybody to no one, you should be fired!" Brandon Duncan added.
During the "play fight," which quickly escalated into a brawl, six people were taken to the hospital: a police officer and five students.
NBC7 confirmed the identity of the injured officer as Bashir Abdi who has worked for San Diego Unified School district for several years. SD Unified says the officer was struck from behind and suffered injuries to his head.
"He is the father of two young daughters and we certainly pray for a full and rapid recovery," SDUSD Superintendent Cindy Marten said.
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District officials confirmed Abdi was discharged from the hospital today and will be placed on administrative duty. The District released a statement saying, in part: “The safety and well-being of our students and staff are our top priority. We are cooperating fully with the San Diego Police Department as they thoroughly investigate the incident."
Jesse Duncan faces charges of resisting arrest and assault of an officer. The school plans to hold an assembly Monday in response to the fight. Brandon Duncan said he plans to be there.
Superintendent Marten said surveillance video of the fight should be released sometime next week.
