Earlier this week a video began circulating on social media showing a Black man being tased and arrested in a Pennsylvania Walmart after customers complained the man was riding a bicycle around the store. The incident took place around 6:30 pm on Monday at a Walmart located in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania.
The district attorney’s office says officers came to the store after getting complaints that a man, identified as Stanley Gracius, 37, was riding a bicycle around the Walmart store, playing loud music, and cursing at customers. Once officers got to the Walmart the store manager told them Gracius was in the process of buying the bike. Police said he was uncooperative and attempted to reach for one officer’s taser. The video captures Gracius asking officers several times to offer a reason for his arrest but didn’t get a response. Gracius was then tased, slammed to the ground, and handcuffed.
“Why are you doing this to me? I paid for my stuff! I have a receipt! Please stop! I didn’t do anything wrong!” Gracius said during the arrest.
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Once he was taken out of the store Gracius continued to let officers know he paid for the bike and has a receipt to prove it. He also asks officers again why is he being arrested. One bystander can be heard saying its “Because you’re Black,” while other people call the officers racist. Since the incident district attorney, John T. Adams, has defended the officers’ actions, stating they “acted appropriately.”
“Based on our review of the incident, the officers of the Wyomissing Police Department acted appropriately when they arrested this individual who was causing a disturbance in the Walmart store,” he said. The officers involved in the incident have been identified as Barry W. Moyer, Richard Karstien, and Joseph Klatt.
Gracius now faces charges including, aggravated and simple assault, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and disarming an officer.
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