David Edwards and John Byrne
Raw Story
August 3, 2009
A child’s Wisconsin baptism ended up being a real shocker.
Responding to a noise complaint in Prince William County, police sought to quell the assembled crowd — who they said were making too much of a racket — by firing a Taser at the child’s grandmother and a the pregnant mother of the baptized child.
The officers said they placed a call to the homeowner, who they said was intoxicated and refused to reduce the volume.
The homeowner, 55, is a church family counselor and bible study teacher. His son, Edgar Rodriguez, claims he was Tasered three times after producing his ID to police. The elder Rodriguez was arrested for public intoxication in his own backyard.
The two say police used excessive force to quiet down “a backyard party.” A home video of the scene shows a relatively tame event.
The pregnant mother of the baptized child was also Tasered in the back after officers averred she was assaulting a police officer, and is now being held separate from her family by Customs and Immigration Enforcement.
This video is from Fox 55, broadcast August 1, 2009.