Officers removed from Chicago school after stun gun used on student

Saturday, February 2, 2019
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Two Chicago police officers were removed from a West Side school after video surfaced of them using a stun gun on a 16-year-old female student earlier this week.

The incident happened Tuesday morning at John Marshall Metropolitan High School, 3250 W. Adams St. in Chicago.
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The teen was identified as Dnigma Howard. Her father, Laurentio Howard, blames the school for not following protocol for his daughter's history of behavioral issues. He witnessed the incident.

"The police officer tried to push her down the stairs, so she grabbed the police officer by the vest," Laurentio Howard said. He added: "She was basically defending herself."

According to Chicago police, the officers were escorting the student following a confrontation between the student and the assistant principal.

Officers removed from Chicago school after stun gun used on student


As the student was being led away, she began fighting with officers causing her and one of the officers to fall down a flight of stairs, said police.
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Howard said he was called to pick up his daughter after he was told she began acting out and turning over desks.



When he arrived at the school he says the whole incident unfolded before him.

"It was devastating, I couldn't believe what was going on," said Howard.

"I was thinking, 'If I jump in they're going to shoot me. And if I don't jump in, they're going to hurt my daughter really bad,'" he said.

Officers removed from Chicago school after stun gun used on student


The teen was charged with two felony counts of aggravated battery to a peace officer and two misdemeanor counts of resisting and obstructing a peace officer.
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She appeared in juvenile court on Friday. According to her father, a judge ordered Dnigma to home confinement until her next court date on Feb. 19.
In statement Chicago Public Schools confirmed the involved officers are not returning to the school.



"CPS strives to create safe and supportive learning environments for all students, and this disturbing incident has absolutely no place in our schools. To ensure a thorough review of this situation is conducted, we are asking the district's Office of the Inspector General to review the matter and we will fully support the ongoing investigation by the City's Civilian Office of Police Accountability."

According to a Chicago police spokesperson, the officers are currently on medical leave and they will be reassigned to different duties within the District as COPA and the CPD Force Review Unit complete independent investigations into the incident.
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