Boy falls from bridge, breaks back, then tasered by cops!

OZARK, Mo. -- A family wants answers about what happened to their son that left him hospitalized. Early Saturday morning, police found Mace Hutchinson, 16, underneath the Highway F overpass over U.S. 65.

Mace ended up in intensive care at a hospital. His parents believe the actions of Ozark police officers contributed to his injuries and slowed doctors' abilities to speed his recovery.

"We called the police. My wife was afraid he was going to get ran over or hit," said witness Doug Messersmith.

Messersmith and his wife were the last known people to see 16-year-old boy walking, shortly before their phone call to 911.

"He looked a little agitated but, other than that, he didn't look to be falling down drunk or anything like that," he said.

By the time officers arrived, the teen was off the 30-foot overpass, lying on the shoulder below along U.S. 65, with no good explanation as to how he got there.

"According to the doctors, all injuries are consistent with a fall," said his aunt, Samantha.

Mace's dad believes it was just that, a fall, not a jump. The question is why.

"They tested his system. He was clean of drugs and alcohol. We don't know why unless just being in shock and the whole thing in itself caused him to forget everything," said Hutchinson.

His aunt says he is undergoing major surgery for a broken back and broken heel. While he was lying on the ground, she wonders why Ozark police used an electric stun gun on him up to 19 times.

"I'm not an officer, but i don't see the reason for 'Tasering' somebody laying there with a broken back. I don't consider that a threat,"

His dad says the use of the stun gun delayed what would have been immediate surgery by two days.

"The 'Tasering' increased his white blood cell count and caused him to have a temperature so they could not go into the operation."

"He refused to comply with the officers and so the officers had to deploy their Tasers in order to subdue him. He is making incoherent statements; he's also making statements such as, 'Shoot cops, kill cops,' things like that. So there was cause for concern to the officers," said Ozark Police Capt. Thomas Rousset.

Police say although there are several unanswered questions; the reason for the use of a stun gun is not one of them.

"It's a big concern for the officers to keep this guy out of traffic, to keep him from getting hurt," said Rousset.

Mace was still in intensive care on Wednesday night, listed in fair condition. He was scheduled for surgery again on Thursday. The family, along with the Ozark Police Department, hopes someone will see this report and come forward with some information. You can call (417) 699-4789 with information or call the Ozark Police Department.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• boy
• taser
• tazed
• tasered
• don't
• me
• bro
• cops
• ozark
• police
• abuse
• brutality

[mahmoud1995]

Comply? HIS BACK WAS BROKEN

[ThisIsKindaFunny]

Pigs are THE lowest most disgusting forms of life. No person should have the amount of power that a fucking pig has. People just can't handle that type of power. This is just another example. Pigs all deserve to fucking roast.

[MRowner9]

I'm pretty sure after falling 30 feet and breaking your back and heel it's impossible to comply to the demands of an officer especially when he probably had a bad concussion.

[AlmostBeautifull]

What could have done so bad, (with a broken back) to be tasered 19 times

[Mr704forlife]

You have to be a freemason to be a cop now.How nice.

[totokickbutt]

maybe he wanted the cops to shoot him but he didnt said it properly stunned by the fall o_O lol

[Sweetest57]

Wtf this is why I hate f___ing cops first off you really think that kids going to respond when he just fell of a bridge no!

[savageminstrel]

lying sack of shit cops

[suburbanartist]

How could you not comply when you're in pain with a broken back and heel..?

[LegendarySayayin]

LoL! Some pigs think just because they know a bit of some 'technical' words they are right and KNOW EVERYTHING everytime!

Sure lets just say that the kid was using telepathy and call him a terrorrist!

[Megzee19082]

They were concerned that the crippled teenager that fell off a bridge was an immediate threat lol smh

[sweetjuice143]

he refused to reply lol iu love how the pol;ice try to make it like they were int he right>lol ofcourse he refused to reply his back an legs were broken lol