SARASOTA – Across the U.S. several demonstrations demanding justice for individuals killed due to excessive force by police officers continues to spark controversy. The latest incident happening here in our own backyard.
In the video provided by the Sarasota Sheriff’s Office Deputy Neil Pizzo can be seen exchanging words with 17-year-old Terrance Reed at the Sarasota County Juvenile Assessment Center this past Tuesday.
In the clip Deputy Pizzo approaches Reed after being told several time to remove his hands from inside his shirt.
“It’s a bit disturbing at this point. We don’t know the full circumstances yet of what has exactly fully happened,” said Sheriff Tom Knight.
According to the Level of Resistance report SNN obtained it states Reed had threaten Deputy Pizzo moments before the altercation saying “I’ll kill you Cracker if we on the streets, Ill blow your (expletive) head off, you ain’t a real cop.”
Community organizer Ruth Beltran with ANSWER Suncoast says law enforcement are there to deescalate a situation not attack when provoked.
“As civilians we cannot just go an assault people because of what they said to us. So it’s the same messages for deputies and police officers,” said Beltran.
Since the incident transpired Sheriff Knight has placed Deputy Pizzo on administrative leave while they conduct their investigation and mentions he does not believe the incident was driven by the teens race.
“On the video it certainly does appear that there is a lack of maybe de-escalation or the failure for the deputy to handle the situation appropriately,” Sheriff Knight.
Reed was taken to Sarasota Memorial for abrasions to his head, according to level of resistance reports. He is being charged with contempt of court, probation violations, possession of cocaine.
Sheriff Knight says his deputies train more than the required time needed to deescalating situations, and that they’ve have a good working relationship with minority communities across the county.
The sheriff says he believes the investigation will take two to three weeks to complete to find out what happened that lead up to that confrontation.
Beltran says ANSWER Suncoast is planning a “speak out” at Sarasota City Hall on Tuesday at the city commissioners meeting starting at 6 p.m. She encourages anyone who would like to speak to arrive early.
