Today is Monday, April 12, 2021. Here’s what you need to know:
Good morning,
On Dec. 5, 2020, around 6:36 a.m., Windsor City Police pulled guns on an Afro-Latino Army Officer during a traffic stop. U.S. Army Lt. Caron Nazario’s incident included cellphone video and body camera footage that reported the whole incident. This footage was recently released by Nazario and his attorneys.
Two cops were on the scene when Nazario pulled over at a gas station and was asked, “how many occupants are in the vehicle,” while remaining in his car, and the police officers standing by their vehicle as well. Nazario then responded with, “It’s only myself, why are your weapons drawn, what’s going on?” The officers kept repeating for Nazario to open the door slowly and step out of the vehicle. However, Nazario refused to, as they were not responding to his question with the response, “what’s going on?”
The Windsor officers kept asking for him to get out of the car or keep his hands out the window. Nazario, frustrated due to the cops not giving any information as to why they pulled him over and why he has to exit his vehicle, exclaims to one of the officers that he serves this country (military uniform intact) and does not deserve to be treated like this. “Yeah, well guess what, I’m a veteran too, but I’m going to obey, get out of the car now,” the officer expresses.
The two policemen then approach Nazario’s car with a gun in hand. “You’re under arrest, you’re being detained for…” until Nazario interrupts with, “for a traffic violation, I do not have to get out of the vehicle, you haven’t even told me why I’m being stopped.” One of the officers starts grabbing Nazario’s hands that are out of his window. He then proceeds to pepper spray Nazario directly in the mouth and eyes, while telling him to get out of the car, after Nazario claims he can’t breathe with the intoxicants on his face.
“Get out of the car and get on the ground or you will get it again,” the officer threatened Nazario. He then takes a few seconds to unbuckle his seatbelt and exit his vehicle, going slowly because he’s claiming his dog is in the back, choking on the intoxicants as well. The officers then handcuff Nazario, as he is still refusing to get on the ground unless they explain to him what’s going on. Regardless, the officer ignores Nazario and attempts to get him on the ground by shoving his knee on Nazario’s legs and ribs. “Why am I being treated like this,” Nazario screams. The video closes with one of the officers shouting, “because you are not cooperating.”
Nazario has since filed a federal lawsuit. He eventually admitted to the fact that he didn’t immediately pull over. Instead, he put on his emergency light and drove under the speed limit, this way he would be able to park safely. It was later released that it was less than a mile down the road from where the cops turned on their sirens, indicating to pull over. The two attorneys for the Windsor police officers did not return messages seeking comments, thus far. There are no answers on the main phone line, either, from the Windsor Police Department and the officers have not been accessible for reach or comment, themselves. No further information has been reported or released at this time.
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Keep your umbrellas and rain boots out! With a high of 68 degrees, today will be cloudy with a chance of rain. (Courtesy of Scalia Lab)
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