NEWS: Police Taser Man at Chuck E. Cheese

Police authorities are looking at a weekend incident in where a man was shot with a stun gun at a popular pizza chain children's restaurant. The police investigation centers around a dispute over a salad bar purchase in which officers stated a man resisted arrest. The police report has been countered by an eyewitness who has stated that the man did not resist.



For the record, I support the job most police officers do; especially since several family members are active duty officers. However, I have been witness to occasions where the "bad seed" is on patrol; that power tripping knuckle head who gets good cops killed by cementing that perception that they all are of like mind.
Now I know some may counter that the man should have complied. For those people and that argument, I'll simply say that I don't see the same America they do, we are not required to endure harassment by authority, we are not outside of our rights to resist persecution and we are most definitely within our rights to expect our law enforcement personnel to not endanger our families at public venues......over wilted lettuce & bacon bits.

[edit on 3-3-2005 by Bout Time]

[edit on 3-3-2005 by Bout Time]

These are the salient facts in this case.

Police talked to the Chuck E. Cheese manager, who told them that a customer had refused to show proof that he had paid for food. The manager said the man was seen "loading" his plate at the salad bar.

The officers confronted Danon Gale, 29, who was at the restaurant with his children, aged 3 and 7. Patrons said the popular kids pizza parlor was packed with children and families at the time.

According to police, Gale was asked to step outside to discuss the incident.

"According to witnesses (Gale) refused to cooperate with police and a struggle ensued," said Larry Martinez, a police spokesman. He said that Gale became argumentative and shoved one of the officers, a fact disputed by another patron.

www.newsnet5.com...

Had this individual cooperated with the manager, the police would not have been called. Had he cooperated with the police, a struggle would not have ensued. Had a struggle not ensued, a Taser would not have been used.

Those who have nothing to hide, have nothing to fear. When you are in a restaurant, you are a guest and providing proof of purchase is not an imposition.

Frankly, this guy is lucky he was only tasered.

[edit on 05/3/3 by GradyPhilpott]

"Those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear."


Hmmm. Seem to recall Hitler using the same line.

BTW - Anyone here seen a movie called "Les Miserables" with Liam Neeson? Or read the book? ...also applies.



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I hardly think that Hitler or Victor Hugo's works of fiction are relevant to this discussion.

I heard on the local radio station that this particular chuck e. cheese offered an all-you-can-eat salad bar. So, I was under the impression that that was the controversial issue behind this taser story.

Anyone hear the same? That he was tasered for eating too much paid for salad? Perhaps the local dj put a more interesting spin to this story?..

Frankly, this guy is lucky he was only tasered.

Right, they should have shot him on the spot then killed his wife and kids for good measure. Crimes involving salads need to be taken seriously.

The issue here is theft. Stealing anything, including food is a crime. The cops did not taser the guy over a salad. The culprit was tasered because he became violent with the police. Prior to the advent of taser technology, he would have been roughed up even worse.

No one is to blame here but the individual who couldn't bring himself to conduct himself in a creditable manner.

[edit on 05/3/3 by GradyPhilpott]

I hardly think that Hitler or Victor Hugo's works of fiction are relevant to this discussion.

Quite relevant.....police state of zero tolerance & reason for the former, a loaf of bread warranting life imprisonment the latter.

Like I said, my kid brother is a cop, uncles & godfather as well. This is what you missed Grady:

"One of the officers kept poking the gentleman in the chest," Felicia Mayo told the Rocky Mountain News.

She was there with her 7-year-old son. She told the newspaper that Gale told the officer "You don't have to do that." She said Gale never put his hands on the officer who was confronting him

The argument escalated until Gale was shoved into the lap of Mayo's sister, who was sitting two booths away, holding a 10-month-old baby. That's when police pulled out a Taser stun gun to subdue him.

Tasers in a Chuck E. Cheese? After shoving a guy? I don't know if you have any rugrats/grandkids whose party you've attended like I have, but that place is a playground that happens to sell pizza. Those cops escalated a situation to a possible deadly level needlessly.

Originally posted by syntaxer
Anyone hear the same? That he was tasered for eating too much paid for salad? Perhaps the local dj put a more interesting spin to this story?..

That is not what the story said.

Police talked to the Chuck E. Cheese manager, who told them that a customer had refused to show proof that he had paid for food. The manager said the man was seen "loading" his plate at the salad bar.

In other words he didn't pay for the salad in the first place, he was grazing.

They give you a receipt when you pay for the food. therefore he had two choices. Pull the receipt out of his pocket and show it to the manager, or say "Oh, do you know what? I threw it away, it's in that garbage can right there."

He refused to produce it, probably because he did not pay for it in the first place.


I'm sure that the last thing the cops wanted to do was to taser this guy in Chuck E. Cheese.

Hell just think of the ribbing they are going to get from thier fellow oficers. "Hey, Mike, Chuck E. Cheese just called, they have a six foot mouse running around the back room, do you want to break out the SWAT gear?"






[edit on 3-3-2005 by HowardRoark]

I think- and my opinion for what it's worth-
is that tasers are a torture weapon for the police to abuse

i'd rather have the police get into a little rough and tumble
or shoot the ''stard

suicide by cop gets rid of the really unstable ones

Most people don't really know how to fight- especially idiots giving a hard time to the salad service-

If police were trained in any other than a military - shoot to kill style- then they would know how to take a moose down if necessary- I'm just learning the basics of martial arts- and those pressure points can be very effective- especially if the person is unarmed to begin with.

OO thats funny . it seams to me this guy dident pay .and this was the end result of that . And the cop did ask him to come out side trying to refrain from use of force .
I immange shopping in a wallmart and being accused of shop lifting and wile id be pissed Id first show my recet then after i have proven I had payed for said itam ask for a appolgy and a gift card to boot for the aggrevation i went through. and if this guy had done a simler thing he probly would have ended up with a free meal for the kiddes and family instead of a tazer .
Mangement disliks a scean were there shown to be wrong more then anything.
Heck by pusshing the mangement here and there just a little I have gotton manny things at reduced prices and free itams once or twice .
Theres nothing I like more then a bargon expecialy when I find a (nice way) of making it happen.

See, this is the problem with this country. Nobody respects authority. If this guy just would have shut up and done what he was told, he'd be fine. I hardly think the cop was sitting there, taser in hand, waiting for some to piss him off. More likely, this guy didnt comply and tried to be a big shot. Then, he cries like a baby when the cops win.

I love tasers and think it should happen more often. People need to learn to shut their mouths more. The cops have the power. If they want to talk to you, then talk. Dont run your mouth and smart off..Its just plain old stupid, and they get what they deserve.. If you want to fight..go to court. DUH!

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GradyPhilpott
"Those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear."

Hmmm. Seem to recall Hitler using the same line.

BTW - Anyone here seen a movie called "Les Miserables" with Liam Neeson? Or read the book? ...also applies.

I hardly think that Hitler or Victor Hugo's works of fiction are relevant to this discussion.

...The issue here is theft. Stealing anything, including food is a crime.

Point made. Les Miserables is about a man who stole food, and paid with his life because of a power-hungry fascist. Hitler was a fascist. This story is about someone who stole food and got beat on by a fascist cop in a fascist regime.

The arguments made here to justify the inappropriate use of force and tasers are fascist arguments.


Hmmmm.


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It would seem this guy has every legal right to not show a receipt while he was inside this place eating.... Now if he attempted to leave without proving he had paid, then yeah taze him lol.......... This one is police abuse I think.

Just think of the trauma and now possible fear or distrust of the police this has caused to his kids.

I have to say this was unreasonable use of force.

#1. No one said he had not paid for the salad, only that he could not provide proof. How many of us know where our receipt is 5 minutes after sitting down at a fast food joint unless we're using it for business re-embursment? I sure don;t keep up with it.

#2. It seems the incident arose because the man refused go walk outside. Now, I have had my son at a Chucke Cheese and I have to say I would not leave a youngster in there alone either. The level of chaos is right for an assault or abduction. He has a right..and if I am correct, a duty by law to be responsible for his children.

#3. "Gale's two children were "screaming and hollering and crying" as Gale was hit two times with the stun gun. Police arrested Gale as his children and other customers watched. They took him outside, leaving his children inside the restaurant."

This could be argued as child abuse by the authorities. Tramatic violence in their presence and then forced abandonment. Most social services would remove a child from the parent if these acts were carried out by them.

Enforcment of the law is one thing..but over a damn salad? I would think they could take this guys address and send him a bill. Who knows? He might have paid before eating and just refused to be shook-down by the manager. In 90% of cases like these, we see that the patron has a better memory of their purchases than the server because the servers and cashiers go through so many people, especially at the Chucke Cheese. I think we need more info on it but certainly, the actions were uncalled for.

How does Hitler and Germany get brought into every discussion?? @#*&

Yes, the Aurora, Colorado police are the strong arm of the federal government. And this is the fault of the "fascist dictator" sitting in the White House.

Police abuse has been around as long as the police - and was much worse in the past. It doesn't matter if Bush, Clinton, or James friggin' Buchanan is there.

Soficrow

If you think the US is a fascist regime, you are not only way above top secret, you are so far out in left field that you're beyond the parking lot. Your fact twisting and paranoid delusional crusade is becoming way beyond irritating, it's nauseating.

Any comparison of this case to Hugo's Jean Valjean is beyond irrelavent, not only because Les Miserables is a work of fiction, but there is no indication that this man had to steal from the salad bar to keep from starving.

The lesson here is that when the police ask for your cooperation, cooperate. The whole matter could have been settled easily without resorting to violence and the police could have been free to go about their business, most of which is a lot more important that salad filching.


Edited for clarity


[edit on 05/3/3 by GradyPhilpott]

According to police, Gale was asked to step outside to discuss the incident.

What is really crazy about this story is the police asked him to step outside?

Had he stepped outside without paying that would be theft.

Was the police trying to force him on theft?

The man posing as a father (ha!) deserved to be treated like a common terrorist.

We're at war, that includes agressive cops, they've been given the ok by the government.

How dare this terrorist tell the cop not to poke him...

Blessings from your White House