Just like many Americans, DeOndra Rayford has watched several videos over the years showing police officers using force on Black men and women. But she never believed one of those videos would be someone in her family according to LMT Online.
Last Tuesday she got a call from her dad around 1:30 a.m. about her 18-year-old brother, Zekee Rayford who had been tackled and tased by two Schertz, Texas police officers once he ran from the officers in front of his family home.
“I was sort of doubtful at first, DeOndra Rayford told the news outlet “I couldn’t imagine what he said happened, really happened.”
Once she saw the videos captured by two security cameras outside the family home.
Rayford posted the video on social media. Not long after the Schertz Police Department announced it has opened an internal investigation into the incident to make sure that all “department policies and procedures were followed.”
The incident started around 11:30 p.m. Monday when Zekee, who was driving home from welding school ran a traffic light. The teen didn’t stop when the officers turned on their lights and sirens according to police.
He proceeded to drive into the Wilsons Preserve neighborhood and then into his home driveway. After got home Zekee got out of his car with his hands up and car keys in hand, the video captures. Two officers immediately drew their weapons while another police car arrived at the scene.
“Show me your hands now,” one officer yelled. “Get down on the ground. Get down on the (expletive) ground.”
Zekee turned around, but instead of going to the ground, he ran towards the front door. Once he got to the doorway he started to knock on the door yelling for his father. The three officers followed him and one of them had a taser drawn. Two officers dragged him to the ground while and he counited to struggle against them, the video shows. All three officers told him to stop resisting and fighting.
At one point, it appears the officers had Zekee under control. Then one officer started to use his Taser on Zekee.
Later Zekee’s father, Kevin Rayford, and two of his sisters opened the front door and asked what was happening.
“He’s under arrest,” one female officer said. “We found pot in the vehicle.”
“Then why the (expletive) did you tase him?” Rayford asked her.
“He fled from us and he (expletive) ran,” an officer responded. “Do you understand that?”
The family continued to question the officers’ actions. Then, one officer responded.
“You better relax or you’re going to get it next,” he told Rayford.
DeOndra believes at least two of the officers involved in her brother’s arrest should be fired.
“The cops were not in danger,” Rayford said. “He did not run toward him. He had his hands up. They should have taken a step back and tried to deescalate things.”
Police have arrested Zekee and charged him with evading arrest with a vehicle, a felony, and evading arrest by foot, resisting arrest, and possession of fewer than two ounces of marijuana, all misdemeanors.
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