A Texan police chief is standing by his officers' decision to stun an autistic teenager who was throwing rocks into his neighbour's yard.
Michael Moore, a 19-year-old Texan man, was shocked with a Taser by two officers responding to calls complaining of Mr Moore throwing rocks, reports ABC News.
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The police officers, unaware of Mr Moore's autism, confronted the confused teenager thinking he was high on drugs or alcohol and performed a sobriety test.
New footage released of the June 26 incident shows Mr Moore finding it difficult to follow the officers' instructions before being pushed to the ground and shocked twice with a stun gun.
Mr Moore's mother, Tracie, told WFAA that the situation was "outrageous".
"I was in tears. And now I'm angry. I watched the body cam footage. He told them, 'My mama is inside. Let me get my mama.'"
Local police Chief Tony Widner defended the officers in a statement, calling their actions "reasonable".
"It is our opinion that our officer made a judgment call based on the limited information available, as the job forces them to do every day," he said. "Based on the situation and presentation of Mr Moore, the responding officer believed him to be under the influence of controlled substances. A reasonable officer could have made this determination."
Mr Moore was not arrested or charged in connection to the incident. His mother said he was left with a busted blood vessel in his eye, scratches and abrasions on his face.
Newshub.
