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Mom says son injured by cop at East High
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
A mother says her son was intentionally injured by a city police officer who was trying to break up a disturbance at East High School.
A police report, however, said the youth was cited Monday afternoon for resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
William Morvay, city schools chief of security, said he received a copy of the police report and planned to conduct an investigation and talk to witnesses.
Keena Hardy told The Vindicator her son, 13, had a tooth chipped and a knot on his head after he was slammed into a desk in a classroom by the officer.
The officer was working security at the school about 1:30 p.m. Monday.
Hardy said her son also suffered an asthma attack during the incident. She said her son was injured after he was already handcuffed.
The police report said the youth threatened to have his father beat up the officer, swore at the officer and resisted all efforts to sit down and handcuff him.
At one point, a pair of handcuffs slipped off and the officer managed to get them back on, reports said.
Reports said the youth ignored orders to settle down and once he was cuffed, was seated but then tried to stand up and tried to pull away from the officer — which was when he fell.
The youth said he would not sit down “because I was still mad.”
The incident began with words with another student in a hallway, followed by shoving. He said the police officer “came out of nowhere” and pulled him into a classroom and ordered him to sit down.
Hardy said she took her son to the emergency room after she was called to the school to pick him up. She said he received a breathing treatment but she is taking him to a dentist today to have his tooth looked at.
Hardy said she tried several times Tuesday to speak to police investigators to make a complaint, but no one returned her messages.