A Kansas sheriff's deputy tased a 12-year-old autistic boy without warning while he sat handcuffed, shackled and hogtied in the deputy's vehicle, The Topeka Capital-Journal reports.
The state's law enforcement oversight body says Matthew Honas tied the boy up in a manner that threatened "his ability to breathe properly," during the Feb. 23 incident.
"Honas used excessive force upon the boy, identified only as "L.H.," after being dispatched on a report that he was trying to run away from foster care, [the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers' Standards and Training] said," the Capitol-Journal's report states. "'Among other actions, (Honas) tased the child without warning while the child was handcuffed and 'hog tied,' it said. Honas knew the boy was autistic and had previously been in a physical struggle with him, though there was no report or body camera footage regarding that incident, KSCPOST said."
The incident was captured on Honas' in-car camera. Honas clearly "struggled with, shoved, elbowed, applied pressure points, carried, pulled, 'hog-tied' and ultimately tased L.H.," KCSPOST said.
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"Of particular concern, L.H. was sitting in the patrol car at one point and not actively resisting," it said. "His hands were cuffed behind his back and (Honas) began to press L.H.'s jaw pressure points without giving any direction to L.H. to do anything. This appeared to be of a punitive nature, particularly with the dialogue between (Honas) and L.H. at the time."
About five minutes later, Honas tased the boy without warning.
"At the time, L.H. was handcuffed behind his back, had ankle shackles on and had the handcuffs connected to the ankle shackles," it said. "L.H. was not a threat to (Honas) or other officers."
While Honas was fired March 3, the commission chose not to revoke his certification as a law enforcement officer.