*A protest is planned for Wednesday (July 22) at the Wyomissing, PA Police Department over the violent arrest of Stanley Gaston Gracius at a Walmart.
Gracius was confronted by officers after purchasing a bicycle for his son and had a receipt to prove it. Witnesses recorded the arrest showing an officer using a taser on the man and tying his legs together with a belt.
According to heavy.com, police were called after a store manager asked Gracius to leave because he was riding the bike through the aisles and “playing loud music and yelling profanities at other shoppers.” The officers arrived as he was paying for the bike.
The Berks County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement on Facebook that the arresting officers had “acted appropriately.”
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today in walmart (1135 berkshire blvd in Wyomissing, PA) the police unnecessarily used excessive force by tazing a black man who did NOTHING WRONG. (1) pic.twitter.com/MJ7q3vOPu0
— layla (@labousaab44) July 21, 2020
lastly, there were FOUR OR FIVE cop cars outside. for what? but they did this for what? the last officer to leave overheard my conversation with another bystander about how ridiculous this is and he scoffed and said, “you have no idea” and then drove away. (8)
— layla (@labousaab44) July 21, 2020
The DA wrote: “Wyomissing Police showed restraint, acted professionally, and did a good job deescalating the situation with the defendant, Stanley Gracius. Mr. Gracius did not in any manner abide by the requests of not only the store manager of Walmart, but also the requests of the officers themselves.”
Gracius has been charged with three felonies and five misdemeanors. The charges include:
- Aggravated Assault: First-degree felony, 2 counts
- Disarming Law Enforcement Officer: Third-degree felony
- Simple Assault: Second-degree misdemeanor, 2 counts
- Resisting Arrest: Second-degree misdemeanor
- Defiant Trespass: Third-degree misdemeanor
- Disorderly Conduct/Engage in Fighting: Third-degree misdemeanor
A protest over his arrest is being organized to “demand answers, justice and change,” the Reading Eagle reported.
Critics are calling on Walmart to release surveillance footage from inside the store to show Gracius’ actions prior to the arrest. They also accuse the officers of using excessive force and targeting him because he’s Black.
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