Police use pepper spray on second grader

**lewisipso** · 04-05-11, 06:01 PM

LAKEWOOD - When most kids throw a temper tantrum, they get time out. In 8-year-old Aidan's case, he got pepper sprayed.

A Lakewood Police report details the second grader's violent temper tantrum in a classroom at Glennon Heights Elementary on Feb. 22.

According to the report, Aidan "was climbing the cart and spitting at teachers. He also broke wood trim off the walls and was trying to stab teachers with it."

"I wanted to make something sharp if they came out because I was so mad at them," Aidan said. "I was going to try to whack them with it."

The report goes on to say Aidan, "was holding what looked like a sharpened one foot stick and he screamed, 'Get away from me you f---ers.'"

Lakewood Police officers ordered the 8-year-old to "drop the stick." When he refused, they sprayed him with pepper spray twice until he dropped the piece of wood and was handcuffed.

According to the police report, the boy was later treated on the scene for "a red, irritated face."

Aidan's mother Mandy, whose last name 9NEWS has chosen not to disclose, believes the Lakewood Police officers should have handled the situation differently. She says police were called on her son at school twice before, and both times the officers were able to talk to her son and calm him down.

"I'm sure what he was doing wasn't right, but he's 8 years old," Mandy said. "They walked in, asked him to drop the stick, and then sprayed him with the spray... I think it's excessive."

Aidan admitted he has problems controlling his anger.

"Just kind of like whenever anybody upsets me," he said. "Like I just kind of want to tear them apart... I think it's not ever going to go away... It's just who I am."

Wow.

Police use pepper spray on second grader | 9news.com

**jmur5074** · 04-05-11, 06:05 PM

Well...the argument can be made that he's an 8 yr old and the police officer(s) arrive he/she/they should have been able to disarm him pretty easily.

The same argument can be made that I don't want to get stabbed with a damn stick.

Sounds like the kid needs some serious help. And mom needs some parenting lessons.

**cajunguy** · 04-05-11, 07:05 PM

Methinks mom should get to taste some "hot sauce" too.

.

**Jks9199** · 04-05-11, 10:15 PM

So, next time, the two officers that are probably each at least twice the size of the eight grader simply pull out their own sticks, and wallop him.

Maybe mom'll like that approach better.

OC was perfectly reasonable. It allowed them to subdue the kid with minimal injury and no lasting harm. Good on them. And, just maybe, the little brat'll decide that it ain't worth the price to act out so much in the future.

**Willowdared** · 04-05-11, 10:31 PM

Sounds like he's ADHD, bi-polar, or psychotic or maybe all of the above. I've worked in special ed, and there are some very young kids with serious.

The fact that the staff felt they needed to call police (3 times!!) speaks volumes.

**Broke Hoss** · 04-05-11, 10:32 PM

I can't say I have a problem with their response. Sounds like they tried verbally to deescalate and it didn't work. Kid had a weapon and refused to surrender it. At least 1 of the officers was familiar with the kid. I think it was reasonable.

Similar to a response I heard in testimony once: "No, I didn't HAVE to have 3 other officers assist me in arresting your client. I could've done it alone. But he would've had to go to the hospital before the jail because alone I would've had to hurt him."

**Five-0** · 04-05-11, 10:36 PM

Originally Posted by Broke Hoss

Similar to a response I heard in testimony once: "No, I didn't HAVE to have 3 other officers assist me in arresting your client. I could've done it alone. But he would've had to go to the hospital before the jail because alone I would've had to hurt him."

This.

**Captain America** · 04-06-11, 12:15 AM

I would have maced him also. If the officers would have gone hands on with him, mom would have been complaining that her child was manhandled. If mom wants to critique use of force , I suggest that she saves it for Junior when he is 16 and whips her ass. That is where that is headed and worse.

**Xiphos** · 04-06-11, 12:30 AM

When this kid's a little older, and bigger, we're going to read about how he beat his mother to death. Fine job she's doing there.

**pgg** · 04-06-11, 12:46 AM

**Reca** · 04-06-11, 04:19 AM

Not going to second guess the officers but I can't see me pepper spraying an 8 year old. Then again I have only used pepper spray twice in 13 years.

**Standard Dave** · 04-06-11, 06:14 AM

Should have used a taser or baton

Kids learn by experience hopefully we will learn that if you continue to be a little brat when the police arrive it might hurt.

**Odd** · 04-06-11, 08:26 AM

Poor kid.

Not because he got pepper sprayed. And if he got spanked for this sort of behavior - rather, for behavior leading up to this - I wouldn't be shouting child abuse at the parent either. He's been out of control for some time now and nobody is taking control of the situation. He's seeing a doctor. Yip. Maybe they will diagnose him and medicate him into a blob now that this event got press, then claim victory. But from the, admittedly very limited, story we've been presented it's not hard to speculate that this kid will either end up meeting a lot more police in his life unless this ineffectual to date doctor sedates him into submission. Neither is a great solution, and unless he's one of the few who are so miswired they can't be saved, I again say poor kid, for the poverty of effective adult influences in his life.

Reminds me, I noticed a complete lack of any comments from the father. Just saying.

Also noticed this thread picked up a bunch of guest viewers, maybe got linked somewhere. FYI : my comments are of and by a civilian guest member and do not reflect the views of OfficerResourse/ABPweb/or any LE officer. I'm just some guy who posts the occasional thought on the interwebtubes.

**Cidp24** · 04-06-11, 09:03 AM

He was just on the Today show. I couldn't hear what was said but he is a pretty good-sized kid. I wouldn't want him coming at me with a sharp stick. Only parent with him was mom.

**Captain America** · 04-06-11, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by Reca

Not going to second guess the officers but I can't see me pepper spraying an 8 year old.

Imagine the damage Lew could do to you with a broken yardstick.

**bayern** · 04-06-11, 10:25 AM

Shudda TAZED him.

***snicker*** · 04-06-11, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by bayern

Shudda TAZED him.

I hope you are joking. If you can't handle an 8 year old with out pepper spray or a taser you have no business being a cop. I'm sorry but this is a bit excessive. If the kid was not trying to harm himself or others with the stick then these cops need to be retrained or look for another line of work ridiculous

**IMGreat101** · 04-06-11, 12:09 PM

"Just kind of like whenever anybody upsets me," he said. "Like I just kind of want to tear them apart... I think it's not ever going to go away... It's just who I am."

exorcism by taser?

**Pudge** · 04-06-11, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by Reca

Not going to second guess the officers but I can't see me pepper spraying an 8 year old. Then again I have only used pepper spray twice in 13 years.

....on 9 year olds.

**Sam** · 04-06-11, 12:58 PM

"I was going to try to whack them with it."

Is a "whacking" enough risk of injury to justify spraying the kid? Walk up and take the damn stick and take control of the kid. It's a kid, with a stick. If momma would've stepped up and smacked the kid's ass a few times, you guys wouldn't have to play step-daddy and put yourselves out there for the liability~

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