UNREVIEWED: Alleged thief fights back, Tasered for aggression

ALBANY — A suspected thief ran from a store, tripped, fell and then was Tasered by officers as he fought with them Wednesday, stated an Albany Police Department report.

Suspected shoplifter David Lee Brown ran from police when they spotted him just before 2 p.m. heading toward Maryland Fried Chicken from the 245 East Oglethorpe Boulevard Family Dollar store, the report added.

“At that point he was spotted by an officer traveling westbound,” said Phyllis Banks, police spokeswoman. “The officer turned around and the suspect (Brown) took off running towards the Civic Center.”

The 53-year-old Brown hit a curb in the Civic Center parking lot and fell, said Roger Burnett, a Civic Center employee. A police officer grabbed Brown and he began fighting, Burnett added.

“The officer told him (Brown) to stop fighting about three or four times,” Burnett said. “He kept fighting and wiggling.”

According to the report, more officers arrived at the parking lot to help the officer struggling with Brown. A Taser touch was used to subdue Brown.

Once subdued, Brown complained about an injury to his shoulder, the report stated, and Dougherty County EMS was called. Emergency personnel took Brown to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, where at about 5 p.m. he was in good condition, said a hospital spokeswoman.

At 6 p.m. Brown was not yet booked into Dougherty County jail, a jail spokeswoman said. Banks added that charges are pending for Brown on the theft of 18 bars of soap from the Family Dollar with other possible charges.