YouTube: SPD HOOGENDORN ASSAULT
Police officers in Sitka, Alaska, undressed and repeatedly used a stun gun on a Native student in September 2014, according to a newly disclosed video. Franklin Hoogendorn, 18, was attending the Mt. Edgecumbe High School at the time of the incident. He was arrested and taken into custody after allegedly tussling with officers. "They just kept on Tasing me," Hoogendorn told Alaska Dispatch News. The video shows him being stunned at least 10 times. The three officers, though, were cleared of any misconduct. Police Chief Sheldon Schmitt said Hoogendorn, who was a senior at the time but has since graduated from the Mt. Edgecumbe boarding school, was intoxicated and was being combative. “I would be the first to admit that it doesn’t look good,” Schmitt told the paper. He said both Hoogendorn and the officers made "bad decisions." One of the officers was involved in an incident in New Mexico where a man died in custody. Schmitt knew about the case but the officer was not charged with any wrongdoing. The officer has since left the Sitka force, Alaska Dispatch News reported. All charges against Hoogendorn were dropped after his attorney raised questions about the conduct and history of that officer. Get the Story:
Video surfaces showing Sitka police repeatedly using Taser on high school student (Alaska Dispatch News 11/3)
Join the Conversation
