Cops tase and arrest Black man who purchased a bike after test riding it in Walmart

Trigger warning: This report contains details of racism and police brutality that readers may find disturbing

Disturbing videos of a Black man being repeatedly tasered and forcefully restrained by Pennsylvania police have stirred up controversy for law enforcement yet again on social media. The incident took place on Monday, July 20, 2020, at a local Walmart and gained attention online after multiple shoppers posted videos of the arrest. The man—who identified himself as Stanley Gracius in one of the videos—was said to have been testing a bike by riding it inside the store and wishing people around him a good day, when the store manager allegedly called the cops. Despite telling the officers that he'd paid for the bike, that he'd bought for his son, and had the receipt to prove it, two cops tased Gracius and wrestled him to the floor.

Posting a video of the incident, Twitter user Layla recounted the series of events that'd led to the arrest. Today in Walmart (1135 Berkshire blvd in Wyomissing, PA) the police unnecessarily used excessive force by tasing a black man who did NOTHING WRONG, she wrote. The kind man was test riding a bike through the store while playing some music and telling random strangers he hopes they have a great day and complimenting them. He was absolutely no bother to anyone. At the register when the man was paying for the bike, the officer grabbed his hand and twisted it as he tried to forcefully arrest him.

I couldn't tell you the reason. The man kept asking why he was being arrested and telling the officer to check the receipt to prove he paid for everything at checkout and was clearly unaware of why everything was happening. Then he was tased continuously which is when the video starts. There was no use for the tasing as he was calmly trying to reason with the officers. After a few minutes, he was taken outside and was forced into a cop car where he started to resist because he still had no idea what was going on. He kept calmly repeating that he did not understand why he was being arrested and harassed the way he was. Eventually, the officers tied his feet up with a belt and were able to forcefully shove him into their vehicle, she continued.

Meanwhile, a Facebook user by the name Smula also posted videos of the disturbing incident online, sharing the events that occurred outside the store as the police tried to force Gracius into a cop car. Not posting for the clout I just really felt this man's pain and feel like I gotta share his story. He did nothing wrong. He told the cop 'have a good day' before everything happened!!! This really showed me and should show you guys how real this shit is. Walmart racially profiled him cus he was testing the bike out in the store and thought he was doing something wrong and called the cops on him, he wrote.

Smula also revealed that Gracius was playing Demarco's "Love My Life" while test riding the bike. He was literally spreading love asking how others were. He rode the bike to the cash register and paid. After, the cop said he was free to go since he paid and once the man told the officer to have a nice day, [the cop] grabbed his wrist and [Gracius] asked him to let go plenty of times. Walmart should have the footage, he added. Responding to the online backlash following the arrest, the Berks County District Attorney said that after an independent review of the incident, it was determined that the Wyomissing Police Department "showed restraint, acted professionally, and did a good job in de-escalating the situation with the defendant."

According to Reading Eagle, District Attorney John T. Adams said that while police did user a taser on the 37-year-old Gracius, "it was ineffective." As per court documents, he has been charged with three felonies and five misdemeanors including two counts of aggravated assault, disarming a law enforcement officer, two counts of simple assault, resisting arrest, defiant trespass, and disorderly conduct. A protest is planned for Wednesday afternoon at the Wyomissing Police Department in response to his arrest.