17-Year-Old Injured In Incident Involving Police
Following a 17-year-old being injured in an incident involving the police, the young man and his family have alleged that he was “beaten” by the police, while the police alleged that he “violently resisted them” and “sustained injuries during the struggle.”
Police Statement
A police spokesperson said, “Around 7:00 pm on Friday 1st January 2016, police officers patrolling on Dundonald Street, Pembroke had reason to stop a motorcycle being driven by a 17 year old male with a passenger.
“The rider did not stop, and he led the police on a protracted chase through the City that eventually ended on St. John’s Road. Officers attempted to arrest the rider who violently resisted them.
“The rider sustained injuries during the struggle. He was arrested and conveyed to hospital for treatment and he is expected to be charged with a number of offences in due course.
“The BPS was made aware today that the rider made allegations via social media that the police used excessive force during his arrest.
“We have provided him with the opportunity to make a formal report to the Police Complaints Authority [PCA] so that his complaint can be investigated.
“Anyone that has any information related to this incident is asked to contact Sgt. Brian Mello in the Police Complaints Authority on 247-1299.”
Social Media Post
The screenshot below is taken from social media, with his sister saying: “My 17 year old brother who is not a gang member was beaten by Bermuda Police tonight. This is not right they said he fell off the bike he was riding.”
Family Comment
The young man’s sister strongly refuted the police statement, telling Bernews: “My brother did not resist as he has no marks on his arms or hands, just his face and head.” She also provided the photo below taken as her brother was in hospital receiving medical treatment.
Ms Swan added, “My brother does not have road rash or grazes. He just was beaten… one look and you can see if he resisted why he didn’t get pepper sprayed or tazered. We,the family of Stanwon Swan, will be holding a full investigation on this matter all officers involved will be dealt with as we will take it to court.
“My brother will not lie he did not bump his head. The police need to explain the bleeding on the brain and beating. So because he had a chase its ok to almost kill him…nonsense!
“I know they will try to cover up all patches but this one they can not cover up what they did was cowardly on this young boy. They are wrong,” she added.
She also added that its the Court’s job to determine justice, not an individual police officers. She also said they have multiple witnesses that are willing to come forward and the family intends to continue to press the issue.
“Those officers need to be suspended immediately,” she said. “He is a minor, he is only 17-years-old.”
In His Own Words
The video below shows Mr Swan describing what he said occurred. His sister said he is still in the hospital as of this writing.
Maybe he should have not gave the police a chase….
After reading one of the comments today I Googled Mr. Swan and found out he was one of the teens in September 2015 who admitted stealing from a woman her handbag and phone… So how innocent is he. I don’t agree to the Police beating him but please make sure that when you tell a story its true…….
Something doesn’t add up here. According to his sister, he is the hospital for bleeding on the brain and he does not even have a hospital gown on, nor have they bothered to take off his shirt and roll up his sleeve to take his blood pressure? His jewelry is still on so I think it fair to say that no x-rays or scans could have been done?
Your right sounds like someone is not telling the whole truth. From Mr Swans account after he stopped he said the Police officer took him out from behind and then he must have fell face first into the pavement. That’s why his face is all messed up. He might have been running away to be taken out from behind. Then he said the police officer beat him with a baton or flashlight. Was he beaten in the face while his was planted on the ground? Didn’t seem too descriptive. I wonder if the hospital took samples to see if he was intoxicated?
Yes he should have stopped and maybe the police would not have been so pissed off that they thought it was justified to beat him so bad that he needed a hospital I don’t know maybe you would think different if it was your brother or son or maybe you would not have passed judgment on your on as fast as you did this young man I’m just saying.
I agree, wonder how they would treat a white boy in the same situation.
Mmmmm
…….and didn’t violently resist arrest.
Be accountable for your actions young man and your family too – this is half the problem, we want to blame everyone else. You ran from the police and allagedly violently resisted arrest. Ask yourself, how could this have been avoided? 1) Stop when you were told to 2) Do what the police ask you to do with no talk back, smart comments or attitude. 3) Take your consequence like a man 4) Learn from your mistake and do not repeat it.
Police don’t want speed chases and risk of personal injury either any more that you do, but it’s their job to retain offenders who break the law. Don’t break the law, you won’t have a problem.
Take time to recover and think about what your role was in this, and what you would do differently next time to avoid another situation.
I’m pretty sure they’d treat them the same given the circumstances.
Ya,just like de Cup Match thing. We all know there are two Laws in society Worldwide, etc White collar(color)crime, etc.
Just like the amount of Black males that have been stopped and searched in the last 35 years and have been put on the Stop List for a spliff, like white boys don’t smoke weed or do drugs.
Now IF this guy refused to stop, then fool for him for not stopping.
There are two different stories, so lets go to the tapes.
Mmmm.
And if the officers are black? Then what? Let me guess. Their white superiors made them do it. Smh. Always white and black with you.
So not only politicians (oba) lawyers and IB but the nurses and doctors at the ER are also racist. Yep must be true onion said it
Do you actually think before u hit submit or do you just spew the first thing that comes to mind?
All of this could have been avoided if Mr. Swan didn’t ‘pull chase’.
So that makes it ok for them to beat him? Yeah he was wrong but so were the cops. Your mentality is the same as the cops who think that because they are in authority they can do whatever they like. One day their actions are going to go too far. Furthermore the story isn’t adding up first they told the family he fell off the bike then he was resisting, which one is it?
So Maria every time someone commits a crime or doesn’t do what the police want them to do it’s ok for them to beat them? Even when you cooperate they are nasty.
I hate kids like this. Next time try stopping when you’re sposed to.
If I had done what he did both my parents would’ve beat me, nevermind what may or may not have happened involving police. Too many mollycoddle today’s youth. Condone the nonsense. Media reports a disturbing history: http://bernews.com/2015/09/teens-plead-guilty-to-snatching-womans-bag/
Keep in mind that this is the same Stanwon Swan who lost his brother a few years back. He’s a troubled kid who needs guidance so while doing the whole discussion about whose fault it is that he got a beating try and cut him some slack.
This kid needs a wake up call, but he also needs support and help to take advantage of that moment of clarity and turn him around.
Letting him cry victim now probably won’t help him, but neither will demonising him.
Don’t bury him. Give the kid a helping hand. He needs it.
We all lose people. We all have people taken from us.
Why should he be special?
Because he’s young and he might be able to change if some effort is made.
For some reason this boy in the video doesn’t seem to be strait up with his story. No I don’t agree that he needed an ass wooping but rather is kick in the ass for trying to speed away from the police. Next time pull the he’ll over when the red light is flashing because if this happens to you again I’ll bet you will, why because you’ll know what will follow. Get well soon and I hope your parents take your bike away from you for awhile. Yeah chain it to the from gate.
Neither is the officers story straight, he claims swan got injured falling off the bike. The point is the officer has told a lie because we know he was beat, and while HANDCUFFED. Judging from most of the comments they act like they believe he deserved an “old fashion beating” because of his past deeds. Perhaps the officer felt the same way, but it’s not right for the officer to make a judgement call like that. He will receive his due discipline when it comes to that matter.
Hey GOOGLE his name. He’s such a sweet boy.
http://bernews.com/2015/09/teens-plead-guilty-to-snatching-womans-bag/
And you have a history at school as well….imjussaying.
He got what he deserved. End of!
Be careful how you throw stones, he may become our Tourism Minister or Premier one day.
Mmmmmm
Silly rabbit! Tricks are for kids. Now off back under your bridge. There’s a good lad.
Your funny
why would you hate him? such a HATEFUL comment!!! Don’t even Dall the facts and the judgment is to hate him!!!Do you even have children?!
Cops are doing the job they get paid to do. You break the law and/or try to outrun the law, you are asking to be dealt with by whatevver means necessary.
What ever means necessary?? NO! It was not necessary to half kill this boy! Pulling chase was wrong! He could’ve pulled over and accepted the ticket, yes. As his sister stated above. If he resisted. Why isn’t his hands/armed scratched or bruised as his face is!? Smt this was UNNECESSARY
Half kill him? You’ve got to be kidding me!
Exactly. Half killed is how my kid would look after I was done with him if he was this stupid.
I hope you’re speaking hypothetically and haven’t really passed your genes on. You may want to seek treatment for your anger issues and propensity for issuing threats of violence.
I hope they beat your a$$ next time they catch you drunk driving.
Hmmmm, aren’t the reasons we provide the popo with the pepper spray and tasers is so they would not have to fight with potential arrestees? So wouldn’t that make the any means necessary comment void?
and if he was pepper sprayed the same comments about how “he didn’t deserve it” “it was unnecessary” would be floating around.
I would still question a beating, you have a young man that decided to lead the police on a chase when he should have pulled over… that chase ended on St. John’s that could have been him coming off his bike… and his injuries could have come as a result of the police trying to arrest him, course if someone is resisting arrest are police expected to let that person try to lay a beating on them… do they not have the right to react with like when someone is trying to hit them… could his face not also hit the ground as he fought while they tried to cuff him… I have seen some photos of people who have been beaten by police, their faces always looked worse than his… even after being treated, his photos and video don’t really show the face of excessive force. If he hadn’t tried to evade the police, I would have been more inclined to believe his story.
As noted by a post below, I am calling out that photo. Any beating of excessive force that leads someone looking barely concious like the photos show would have meant several things that those photos don’t collaborate… he would not be in an ER treatment room, but a triage room and if he had bleeding on the brain, as his sister says, they would be prepping him for an air vac, not letting him shoot a video; he would not still be wearing his jacket, as they would have removed it from him to check for injuries; he would not be wearing his jacket as they would have removed it so they could actually get a blood pressure reading from the cuff, that he is currently wearing over his jean jacket (no nurse would have put that cuff over a jean jacket if they were actually concerned about getting a reading); and lastly, as I have stated before, that is not the face of excessive force.
Nope, those pictures are, ‘quick sis, let’s get this cuff on me and I’ll lie back and look unconscious so you can take a couples of pics, and before they clean me up so I look like I am in bad shape… it outta fool people on the internet’
Amen
If I was the cop (which I am in no way affiliated with the police) I definitely wouldn’t let some punk hit me. Jus sayin
Hmmmm, aren’t the reasons we provide the popo with the pepper spray and tasers is so they would not have to fight with potential arrestees?
Hmmmm, aren’t the reasons we provide the popo with the pepper spray and tasers so they would not have to fight with potential arrestees?
Were you there? How do you know the police beat him? He certainly resisted arrest if he had to be chased around town endangering other innocent people.
If this is the same Stanwon Swan that stole that young woman’s purse in 2015/09 then you got what you should have received back then, a good old fashion a** whooping. Bet you five bucks you won’t pull that s*** again?
Karma.
So….Miss Edwards couldn’t hit the rude lil boy but the Police can beat this Lil boy. I can’t wait to hear the truth behind this.
Maria,
Your comment makes the assumption that the 17 year old was at fault and the officers were justified in their action.
The police report states that they had “reason” to stop him. Well what was the “reason”?
The teenager made a bad decision (as teenagers usually do) in trying to flee from the police, but my question is why was he stopped in the first place. Could this be a case of police harassment that spiraled out of control?
In my view, the police need to explain why it is they stopped him in the first place and what justified the decision to risk public safety by engaging in a dangerous motorbike chase through the streets of Hamilton?
Maybe because of history, his partner or his behavior when he spotted them perhaps? It’s funny how you all demand the police”do something” after it happens, yet don’t support the police when they are proactive.The police don’t stop law abiding citizens going about their business for no reason. They know trouble when they see it.
Well he’s 17 on a 100cc motorcycles while towing… if that isn’t enough information as to why they stopped him your clueless.
He was under age riding the bike he is 17 and riding a 100cc. That’s why he was also being stopped.
Not true, they wouldn’t know that until they apprehended him
The reason is that he was 17 riding a motorcycle , disqualified by reason of age . Read the article ..
Not true Im afraid. They would need to apprehend him first to run his name in order to know that he was 17.
It this young mans own video statement, the officer knew him well and picked on him. Therefore it is safe to assume that if the officer knew him well, he also knew he wasn’t 18. The license plate on his bike would also tell the officers that there is a good chance that the person riding the bike is under age. Therefore he was either towing a passenger on his own bike under age or if he was riding a bike with a white and green license plate the officers knew that he was not of age to ride that bike.
is that reason enough for you?
infidelguy…
The “reason” is irrelevant, the law says you stop for the police if you don’t you commit an offence in it’s self.. This kid ran from the Police crashed, got injured, resisted arrest.. Now is blaming the Police for his own stupidity…
If that had of been me my dad would have cut my aZZ worse than any policeman could….
Bermuda needs more people like your (and my) dad!
He would have been driving an auxiliary cycle, blue plates, and it was stated that he had a passenger… those with auxiliary cycle licenses cannot have passengers. So it would have been in the police’s right to pull him over to check his license to see if he was allowed to have a passenger based on his bike having blue plates.
I agree with that.
@infidelguy this was not Police harassment. Learn the law?? A 17 year old that rides a bike with a white license plate (100cc <) is ILLEGAL. White plate means motorcycle and the age limit for that is 18. Do you get it now or should I break it down even more for you? Its called disqualification by age. He is only allowed to ride a blue plate bike (50cc max).
The Police enforce the law not make it. So the Police Officer was right in his reason for making him stop and doing what he gets paid for. Its not the first time that boy has ridden that bike and he continues to break the law……HENCE THE REASON HE TRIED TO RUN. DUH!!!!!
You are trying to blame the wrong person. The boy risked public safety not the officers. The officers tried to stop him from that but he refused to listen. Get a life and pick up a book. Its okay to read and obtain knowledge before speaking on something you have no knowledge about.
As I said above, not true. They would need to have him in hand first in order to know that he was 17. However, pulling him over for a blue plate and towing (which is illegal for youths to do) would have been reasonable if they assumed he was an under aged rider.
I had a 50 cc when I was 20 (I had a license for a 150cc but preferred a smaller bike) had my sister on the back heading to Horseshoe and I got pulled over. I stopped, got off the bike, asked what the problem was, they wanted to check my age, so I handed my license over and all was fine. Had a good day at Horseshoe!
It stated that he had a passenger. Isn’t there a law now in place that clearly states people under the age of 18 in which have not had their license for over two years are not allowed to tow others. Doesn’t matter why they tried to pull him over. He rode recklessly around town and through crowds of people. If he would have ran someone’s child over then majority of you wouldn’t be preaching the innocent dumbness.
Don’t you have to be 18 to two someone on a bike nowadays? He put the lives of his passenger, himself, pedestrians in the city and others on bikes and cars at risk by pulling chase through the city! I don’t believe that anyone deserve to be beaten (if in fact that is what happened) but it is hard to feel sorry for him. By running from the police he sent a symbolic message to members of the public which said, I don’t care about your wellbeing and safety or anything else but getting away. Now you want the public to be sympathetic and care about what happened to you, when you didn’t care about us!
I do not feel sorry for you young blood. The man pulls you over and you lead them on a chase, a dangerous chase at that where some other law abiding citizen could have gotten hurt! You want to play grown up games you gonna get grown up licks!! As for the taping… you should have taped him and asked the question why you run bro and put other lives in danger?
Nah… Pulling chase is no where near as bad as beating someone up. The police officer did not have to use brute force.
@Umok it isn’t as bad? Really! He pulled chase and sped! He could have ran someone over!
@Kjersti530 But he didn’t run anyone over. After the chase, the police officer still decided to beat an NON Threatening citizen.
Your non-violent citizen violently resisted arrest.
Why use “your” I don’t own anyone… I am only stating my opinion.
@Kjersti530 But he didn’t run anyone over. After the chase, the police officer still decided to beat a NON threatening citizen. That is a crime and it should go to court.
Also the young man should be given consequences for pulling chase.
I agree with UMOK.My sentiment is that BRUTE FORCE is unacceptable and reckless on the police’s part.
.
He deserves what happened. No sympathy.
Funny how this doesn’t happen if you stop when you’re supposed to. I guess attempting to escape from the police isn’t “reckless” in your view is it.
Idiot.
Next time you get caught speeding hopefully the police just drag you out of your car and kick your a** then. Idiot.
You get pulled over for speeding, the police don’t drag you out of you car if you pull over for them, has never happened here… you run a dangerous chase and then resist when caught, you got what’s coming, and that is not a face of excessive force at work. This is why body cameras are needed
If I get busted for speeding and instead of pulling over for the cops, I try to outrun them and I plow through a crowd of Gombeys and children then ABSOLUTELY, MY AZZ BETTER GET YANKED OUT THROUGH MY WINDOW AND BEAT TO A PULP!!!! That would be a beating WELL DESERVED!!
What is so hard to comprehend here???
The difference is that if the police ask me to stop, I will. He didn’t. So he got what he got.
It doesn’t matter if he didn’t stop that still doesn’t give them the right to assault him. Show me where it says that in the law books….I’ll wait.
Show me where it’s legal to violently resist arrest. I’ll wait.
wow you really feel that he deserved this for pulling chase from the police. I take it your a good citizen and have never done wrong smh. I not saying he was right in his action he deserves punishment yes but not a beating while handcuffed. so if the bleeding on the brain caused death do you feel he would have deserved to die for giving chase please think of all circumstances before making ignorant comments some officers are evil and again not all some I have seen it first hand.
“………..he deserves punishment yes but not a beating while handcuffed. so if the bleeding on the brain caused death do you feel he would have deserved.”
Who says he’s bleeding on the brain? His sister? If he had, there is no way he would be sitting and talking to the press.
First thing, was he beaten while hand cuffed?? Second, if he had bleeding on the brain, he would not be in an ER treatment room talking to a video, but would be in a triage room prepping for air vac. His face is no where near beaten by excessive force.
I hope this doesn’t become your episode on a different issue.
So your theory is that if you disobey any laws and the police get a hold of you, they have every right to beat your ass senseless? This isn’t the Frontier Im afraid. This is a country that has laws in place to rightfully judge an individual who breaks said laws. Anything else is taking the laws into your own hands. Which is illegal by the way.
True, he shouldn’t have gave chase, but equally true (if true) the officer had no right to lay beating hands on the boy. That’s what the law is for in the first place. No officer is a judge or an executioner.
BTW, he plead guilty, with others in September to following a woman and snatching her purse. UNACCEPTABLE.
“The police need to explain the bleeding on the brain and beating. So because he had a chase its ok to almost kill him…nonsense!”Those are the words of the sister. So if he has bleeding on the brain, how is he able to be giving an interview? I am just asking? shouldn’t he be being prep for major surgery?
Look, I am not here taking up for either side, but this social media and the sensationalisation of stories is just ridiculous. There is a saying, there are 5 sides to a story, 1. Right side, 2. Wrong side, 3. Your side, 4. My side, and 5. Public side.
Something went wrong, whether it was started by the youngster or not, someone is pointing a finger. But is this way to go about it? But as always, the police is always wrong never the perpetrator (I am just saying).
Should’ve been ya ******** child
@Reh—-If my child gave chase to the police after years of me teaching her right from wrong, they have my permission to beat her…..she ‘ll never do it again, will she?
Yeah I’m so sure…
Why is it people always use the word “if”?
My child would get another licking for not obeying the law!!!From the parent..
I wonder how many of the 300+ liking your comment were calling for justice when that white boy was down at cup match having sex in the open. Or were chirping up when those white kids out in Fairylands were wielding and chopping guys w machetes. Or felt just as passionate about justice when a certain white OBA ministers son was caught with possession. You people are conditioned to salivate just a bit more at the thought of “justice” being carried out against black men. It’s in your blood as history has clearly shown us.
Always some jack**s trying to play the race card.
You folk have a history of clearly making it race thing. Heck you’re not exactly history’s good guys when it comes to that. You think your little (predictable) race card issuance removes you from that fact?
How are you going to say white people are racist like black people aren’t. Secondly majority of police in Bermuda are black. So maybe you should go do your homework being race is such an issue to YOU being you want to bring it up and see how many black police were involved. You sound so unintelligent and young minded. Get your life together. It’s 2016
Race card – shocker!
17 year old bike rider with passenger. Did not stop for police. Protracted chase that came to an end on St. John’s Road. (Maybe the light was red and he decided it was best to stop.)
He’s such a nice boy, never lies.
Do a Google search for the guy’s name.
led the police on a chase, failed, got roughed up. Whats the big deal? he’s alive and doesn’t appear to have any major injuries. if you go outside you gonna get wet, son. deal with it or stop breaking the law
Two sides in what you said though. deal with it or stop breaking the law. If the popo did beat him, then they too have broken the law. Oh yes, it is illegal for them to do that. That’s why we pay for them to have pepper spray and tazers. You can’t have it one way and not the other. Either the law applies to all or none, not some people of the time.
All fun and games until he couldn’t get away. Live by the sword ” ””””’
Karma. Not to long ago he plead guilty to robbing a young girl while she sat on a bench.
oh boy…better to just pull over becuz its he said he said as to who did what…..no body cam no dash cam, just accusations without witnesses
@swing voter
Good point! This would have been a great help in this instance. But knowing how the authorities operate in this country, the video footage would probably be subject to some kind of censorship.
It seems like those that have trouble with the way the authorities operate are those that are in trouble with the authorities.
Solution is evident.
Offended by what you said as I obey the law and have received the bullish side of the police just for being somewhere they felt I shouldn’t have. Which by the way was just adjacent of my own property.
I thought all cops were wearing bodycams now? Since around Halloween.
They are sticking up for him, well i’m sorry your little boy started it by pulling a chase smh do I think he deserved to be beaten NO! But he does deserve punishment
In what part of the world do you start a chase when asked to pull over UNLESS you have something to hide, so tired of The good little boy syndrome, wake up ladies, people aren’t buying it anymore!
ditto
Doesn’t mean he deserves to be assaulted. The police are supposed to uphold the law, not break it. If he committed a crime they are supposed to arrest him and take him to court so he can have his say, that’s what we do in a civilized society. Perhaps you would rather live in Saudi Arabia? Don’t break the speed limit, of which 98% of the people here do because according to your logic you would deserve a butt whooping!!
The speeding part wasn’t the problem…. It was not stopping when told to…
And resisting.
Are you retarded? That still doesn’t give them the right to beat him up. You people are so stupid.
I think we can see who’s stupid.
Side note: Why is his blood pressure being taken over his jacket? ER nurses are always taking shortcuts..
This’ll be interesting to see how this pans out. Accusations without witnesses, for both ends, is exactly what this is.
Just a specially staged photo.
Look at the video. One minute he is sitting up talking with no blood pressure measuring device on his arm, the next second he is laying down, acting as if he is in bad shape with the blood pressure monitor over his jacket and the oxygen level indicator attached to his finger. Totally staged.
Looks to be a really expensive watch too. Not what I’d buy at Walmart. He must have a really high paid job & a corner office somewhere.
That’s way off the point…
Wonder if he found it in someone elses purse?
you’ve got to be joking you’re worrying about an expensive watch who give’s a rats tail about the watch he may be wearing, I agree with SMFH some of you are very much brain dead. yes if that was my child I would be all over him if he breaks the law, but I would be equally angry with the police for beating my child like that because if I had done that to my child they be arresting me for child abuse lets get all of the information fist then still don’t pass negative comments.
Stupid a** people commenting above. So because I as a somewhat immature 17 year old pulled chase the police that’s supposed to guide and protect me brutally beats me to a possibility of me losing my life and its okay. Your all the reasons why the police will continue harrassing and commiting unlawful acts and get away from it. And if i know everytime i get pulled over your gonna beat to within an inch of my life, I’m pulling chase too.
To all young boys if police wanna stop you keep going and go home to parents or make sure yu stop and call a family member and let them kno whats happening
What was so brutal about the beating he took? He looks fine to me. About what i’d expect the police to give a handbag snatcher who’s out in the streets trying to evade the police
I can only hope that from this day forward you are held equally accountable for every young boy that decides to pull chase.
Wow, that was a challenge to read. Please stay in school.
The point is, it would not go so far as that if the rider would stop and accept responsibility. Failing to stop compounds the matter, adding reckless endangerment of other road users, pedestrians and the police who have to pursue! Would it have been better if he’d crashed into a pole trying to outrun the law? Idiot!
Great and when this lovely boy runs someone over and seriously hurts them his sister will blame the victim because this nice boy would never do that. You should shake your head alright. My Grandmother was run over by a nice boy just like this…
He didn’t get beat up because he got pulled over! He got beat up because he refused to pull over and almost ran people (CHILDREN!!!) over!
Use your f****** brain you utter fool!
The advice you’re giving young men just shows how ignorant you are. Wow!
I agree the watch comment was stupid, but to tell a young male to go straight home when the police want to stop them is just as stupid. You’d be giving an idiot with a badge (and no I’m not call all police men and women idiots… It’s a figure of speech) an excuse to do something. On that same note then would you have suggested the young lady whose purse he snatched to run to his mothers house and wait for him there?!?! Did it ever occur to anyone the the police were familiar with this fellow? This is what happens when we as a society teach our children that there aren’t any ramifications for their actions!
Hmmmmmmm….. The first thing the sister says in ” My brother is not a gang member”.
A quick Google of the the name of the victim will reveal quite an interesting story. I dare as much to say it was on this website that his name may be. BUT that is neither here nor there because “He isn’t a gang member.”
No none of this young man’s past indiscretions should condone a police beating but one can’t help but take what the sister or young man says with a grain of salt
just google it… what a great boy,model citizen … hmmmmm
I believe the boy … And It doesn’t surprised me that Dunkley and Baron haven’t taken a picture with the victim ….
Why? Because he’s an idiot?
What’s it got to do with them????
By “victim” do you mean the woman whose purse he snatched?
Dunkley and Baron are far from being my favorite politicians, but what do they have to do with it… Quite frankly I’d love to hear Dunkley’s uncensored opinion on this one. I may not agree with his politics, but I have a strong feeling we just might agree on this one.
Well I read on another page there were gombeys and a crowd of people including children that he plowed through without regard for their lives. This young man seriously begs a lot of questions: why not just stop initially? Why plow through a crowd of people, not slowing down? Why on earth should we believe he all of a sudden stopped and willfully accepted arrest? Something not adding up. His leading the police on a chase does equal possible violent resistance of arrest in my opinion. Otherwise he would have stopped peacefully in the first instance. His sister is reaching with this whole social media campaign- trying to garner support for the ridiculous decision of her brother!
It is very simple. The cops put the light on, you stop. If you don’t stop, strike one. If you carry on with a long chase breaking more laws strikes 2 & 3. You are out. Fail the attitude test when they get you &, well, you brought it all on yourself didn’t you!!!!
You could have avoided the whole thing had you stopped when first told to.
Yes then you arrest him and take him to jail so he can go to court and get his punishment. Police do not have the right to be judge, jury and executioner but a lot of you feel when the victim is young, black and male all of this violence is justified. People break the law everyday that doesn’t give police officers the right to beat you up.
Funny how you assume the police ‘beat him up’. I don’t believe it for a second. This young man’s actions prove to me he wasn’t willing to peacefully or willingly. His family tryna do major cover up and it’s disgusting. Stop using the young black male excuse! He did wrong and no doubt he resisted arrest when finally stopped. Now he looks like a jack tail for publicizing this nonsense! Ignorance surely is bliss! He resisted and I don’t need no taped evidence to form that opinion!
Where is the proof that he was beaten up. Did he crash the bike? Did he resist arrest & got his face mashed into the road resisting arrest?
When the cops tell you to stop resisting, you stop. Start swinging at them & they will take whatever action needed to stop you. This is not nursery school where you can have temper tantrums without consequences.
You’re a delusional naive man so I really shouldn’t even respond to you. Stop resisting lol yeah the typical excuse cops use to abuse black men even when they aren’t resisting. You’re a clown. Go make your Vote for Trump posters and shut up.
race card.
He fell off his bike. He he had stopped he’d be fine. No sympathy.
What lesson did he learn from the courts when he robbed the woman of her purse and phone?
I feel for this young man n pray for good recovery. If his face looks like that, what does the officer face look like? If violently resist. I have been in the same boat but not beat as bad as this n I did not resist nor did they take me in! SOME cops do this put ppl in handcuffs then beat u. Been through it! No right to beat anyone up for pulling chase… Thats what court is for!
Ps where is officers mini cam?
Don’t break the law! You’ve been in handcuffs for a reason. Don’t believe your babble about being beat after being put in handcuffs for one millisecond!
Guys a fluff, he knows he is 100% at fault for heavens sake his sister is saying what happens like she was there. good Job BPS!
Would love to see these comments if police beat up white females for being drunk in public and “resisting arrest”.
Play with fire and you’ll get burned…
hey how about the cops sister telling the other side of the story to the news? oh yea, that ain’t gonna happen is it.
To quote Chris Rock “If the police have to come and get you they are bringing an a** kicking with them”
So it’s ok to randomly dish out justice to those that have annoyed you or pissed you off? Just askin..because I have a few out there that only the ‘LAW’ will have me keep my hands off of them.
Melisa, your brother pulled chase from the police on a 100cc and he is only 17 years old. I don’t think he deserved a beaten from the police like that, but I think you all should have been the one to give him that beaten. Just think, he was pulling chase, he could have hit someone and killed them! What would y’all be saying after that?
Post your real name then comment!
Jane Doe
John Doe
If Mr Innocent is so innocent.
First – he tries to dash away from the cops in a chase……
Second – You can assume the type of Person trying to Evade a “traffic stop” in the first place is going to put up an equally aggressive fight when he is actually caught.
Good Work BPS in a difficult, dangerous and threatening situation caused by this young man
We are all making accusations on one side of a story. remember there are 3 sides, yours, mine and the truth.
Justice is served in the court by the judge not on the street by the police. He needs to be held accountable for his actions as well as the police. It’s sad that people are saying he deserved this. Yes he did put his self in this predicament but he did not deserve a beating. An eye witness said there were at least 8 officers on the scene so you mean to tell me that 8 officers couldn’t control a 17 year old little boy(who is not big at all) from “resisting” they have tasers they have pepper spray use it. He deserves whatever the courts dish out to him but he did not deserve a beating. It’s sad though he isn’t the first and he won’t be the last.
Thank you
There were not eight officers arresting him. There may have been eight officers present. 2 initially. The others showed up to support the dangerous situation this young man Pitt himself and others in. And YES, this was observed! The other officers arrived and stood back in support- they had no idea what could happen next. Great job BPS for having each other’s backs- especially during these times of gang viloence! Funny how his sister was quick to say he had no gang affiliation. Didn’t even enter my mind and never does when residing about traffic chases and stops!
What became of the passenger?
As always, people dont read properly before they start making stupid comments. If you were neither there nor do you have the relevant facts about what ACTUALLY occurred, please refrain from protesting the young man’s innocence before all details of the incident are revealed. The BPS are not typical villians like the rest of the Police World Wide. In this small community, it would not be in the best interest for any of them to be Unprofessional. Do more research before anonymously posting. Even though we don’t know who you are, we know that there are idiots among us.
Thank you.
As someone who has witnessed BERMUDA police officers using unnecessary force and act in a VERY UNPROFESSIONAL on several occasions I am going to need you to refrain from posting any more idiotic comments.
Thank You
P.s last time I checked we had freedom of speech to post whatever we feel. You must be a police officer. Truth hurts eh?!
*act in a very unprofessional manner
And I’m someone who has witnessed Bermuda Police Officers behaving professionally and very patiently a number of times.
As with all people, they have good days and they have bad days and it’s never good to paint an entire group with one paintbrush, if you understand the phrase.
Now, I don’t condone someone being beaten, but if you run from police, put other people in harms way and then try to fight the police when they catch up with you, odds are good they aren’t going to be particularly gentle in handling you when they catch you.
Frankly, from the pictures, my guess if I didn’t know anything else, is that he tripped over something and landed on his face. Not an uncommon occurrence on NYE or thereabouts.
perhaps that’s has more to do with the fact that people who look like you tend to have more “pleasant” engagements with the police.
Is that because people who look like her stop when they see a flashing light? I would say that anyone of any colour would get the same treatment if they acted so stupidly. Personally, I stop when asked by the police, and my face looks great.
Lol!! Is that what you would say? Rose tinted glasses much?
I’m disgusted by some of these ignorant comments. Yes he did pull chase, but that does not give anybody any reason to beat someone. If it was your son would you still agree with the police? This definitely needs to be dealt with.
I am disgusted with what you just said!!! If he was my son and I found out he did not pull over when the police asked him too and then carried on and allegedly plowed through a Gombey parade and a bunch of children, then I actually would have inflicted more facial damage on him myself than this photo op is showing!!!! And we wonder why we have the social ills that we have???
So you’re saying the police should have the right to assault people or exact punishment before the courts get to them?
Yes it does. He got off light.
You people are sick. And unfortunately it’s not even your fault.
If this was my son he would get a beating from me as well for not respecting the police and putting innocent people at risk as well by his actions.
Yeah Jen.. And I’m so sure you’d be perfectly fine with the police bloodying up your child’s face before you got your hands on him/her… Fact is if this child wasn’t black you would have a very different reaction simply via conditioning.
How do you know hat colour Jenn is. Are there no black Jenns? Or do you just see everything in black and white?
Yawn…
So , you can tell what people look like here ? Wow , I gotta get me a computer like that .
I’m sorry but what have I said that implies Jen is white? If you’re that concerned feel free to ask her what color she is…
Everyone knows exactly what the intent of your post was .
Too late to back peddle now .
These disrespectful little #$%^heads need some correction in their lives – I do not care if they are black, white, purple, orange, yellow, blue, red, magenta!!!
No one is given right to “beat” any other innocent person.
However, police have a difficult job and given this person had already tried to escape police custody – it is understandable that their alert levels would have been increased on this suspect. And it is highly unlikely that he was “cooperative” given that he had already run away.
Very sad story and I hope this young man heals quickly.
So this fool runs and kills someone or seriously injured someone and it’s ok because he pulled chase. If he had run over your little brother then you would feel differently. Just because that didn’t happen it could have he just got lucky
Shocking you people condone a society where police exact punishment in civilians, regardless of how bad they are (or possibly aren’t). Perhaps you should think more about what that has the potential to evolve into. Fortunately for some of you it isn’t even a thought that would naturally cross your minds. Must be nice.
Congratulations on making a comment where you are not pulling some kind of race, chip on your shoulder rubbish.
Now read this article below… Notice the similarity in age and name!? Sounds like a real upstanding citizen..(insert eye roll)
http://bernews.com/2015/09/teens-plead-guilty-to-snatching-womans-bag/
Yep, same guy, what’s he going to do when he’s 18 and his anti-social criminal behavior lands him up in Westgate, that’s if he doesn’t crash his bike and kill himself first.
If he ends up in Westgate to because the COURTS have determined that to be an appropriate sentence. That process doesn’t start however with a beat down from the boys in blue. You really expect to cultivate a society of accountability where law enforcement runs the risk of not being able to take the higher ground? Good luck.
Boring boring boring.
What are you 5??
Uh oh! The recent past comes to bite somewhere.
Why don’t you share with the class some of the things you’ve done in the past that were less that upstanding. You seem to thrive on this assumption of superiority as if you’re somehow qualified to.
Everyone is accountable for their past, you, me, everyone. Do bad stuff and bad stuff will happen. Stop making it something it isn’t. If I had run from the cops, almost run over go beys and kids, I’d expect some injury while violently resisting arrest. It happens and not just to young blacks. Grow up.
perhaps the young man will admit what he did just the same as he did in the robbery he admitted to in September…..just sayin in case there is another Stanwon Swan out there
http://bernews.com/2015/09/teens-plead-guilty-to-snatching-womans-bag/…
Maybe the ‘sister’ missed this story, peachy, history repeating itself?!
Wake up ‘young man’, your ’15 mins. of fame’ is over, keep going like that and you’re on a dead end street!
Don’t let your self become another ‘young Bermudian black male’ statistic. Too many lost already.
Sister and family it’s time for some serious intervention to redirect a valuable life…
Peace and love!
Everybody keeps saying, “He pulled chase; that does’t give them the right to beat him.” but everyone seems to be overlooking the fact that he violently resisted apprehension. Violence is going to be met with violence, and rarely at equal measure.
Allegedly and no, police officers should not meet violence with violence. You do not bash people in the head with heavy objects. I’m 100% certain they do not teach that during training to become a police officer. Have we not learned anything from the woman who hit that boy in the head with a bat and killed him? It’s dangerous. They have tasers, use them.
tasers run the risk of killing someone should they have a heart condition that the police are unaware of. i’m sure they’re taught not to use those unless it is extremely necessary
He’s 17 you dummy. He has no heart condition and if tasers aren’t safe why are our officers allowed to carry and use them?
I find it ironic that you called someone else a dummy while posting quite possibly the most ignorant statement I’ve ever read. People can be born with a heart condition. It’s not something that automatically comes with age
I’m sure striking people in the head runs risks that are comparable if not more probable.
I suspect no matter what method they used, the sister would find it excessive. Maybe if he had gotten some licks when he was little it would have taught him to be a respectful citizen.
Would this be okay if it where your child, father, brother, grandfather?
yes
Lying to yourself again.
The fact is , my child, father, brother and grandfather were all brought up to do better.
Doesn’t answer the question does it?
It does answer the question ,you will never get it
if me or another family member was acting the ass….then yes its okay
YES
If I get caught speeding I stop and take my licks. I have NEVER tried to run.
But that’s where you are completely mistaken – police force must be proportionate to the threat. So yes, there is a legal requirement that any force meted out by police must be justifiable and proportionate (or in your words “of equal measure”).
Not in equal measure – proportionate to the risk. The officer doesn’t have to stand around and see how hard the suspect is going to hit, how vigorously he feels like fighting, etc. The officer is justified in using enough force to stop any further attack. That is often way more force than a mildly non-compliant suspect is using, but the risk of him suddenly using much more force is great, so the officer can use what is necessary to stop the threat. The pictures above show an acceptable response.
Looks like he had an intimate relationship with the ground. Guy shouldn’t have been running from the police.
Hard to believe that a “kid” who admitted before the courts that he followed and robbed an innocent lone female a few months ago, would ever violently resist arrest. (Bernews has a story on that incident) And just how many cops were actually there? The sister said 2 the boy said 1 and someone on this thread said 8. The boy is clearly disrespectful. By his own account, when police questioned him he told them not to “bully me cause I’m not the one”
I hate a thug and criminal just as much as the next person but police officers beating people up I will never agree with. They are not trained and paid to go around being thugs with badges. Some of you all feel that when certain people of certain color break the law that it gives police the right to assault you. There are many laws that many of you break on a daily basis! I guess you don’t deserve your day in court and instead you should get your punishment right out on the street.
Why is that simple sense so hard for these people to process. They’re pretty much salivating at the notion of street justice being dealt out by the POLICE WE PAY! They’re no more evolved than the folks of medieval times. Shocking!
Please people, before we make any snap judgments let’s wait for the whole story.
Karma’s a bitch! You ain’t no saint brotha…#yougotknockedthaout! #popoknowzyahsz!
bernews.com/2015/09/teens-plead-guilty-to-snatching-womans-bag/
My goodness. This guy seems to like running from his troubles…
Imagine how screwed you would be if the karma you speak of was real. Or youd be fine as another one of the “sinless”, can-do-no-wrong, know it alls salivating over the images of this KIDS bloody face?
You all that seems to be on the police side I wonder if you would say the same comments if it was your child. What if he died from his injuries by the police would you still agree the police did a wonderful thing?
You all are talking about injuries, what injuries are you all talking about? Will you all get your facts straights….. How can someone be bleeding on the brain (according to the sister) and yet be giving an interview, I ask the question and none of you on here making nasty comments both about the police and the boy is able to give an answer. All the comments are so emotionally attached. To every action there is an equal reaction.
Yes, we are free to say what we all want to say, but until all the facts are borne out can someone please explain why all this drama? And to the person who say that police is not suppose to meet violence with violence, what is the other alternative? Tell me please? Well all know that some of us have no respect for law and order simple as that as that. And, lets be honest with ourselves…. not all police officers are awful, just like in the civil service and private sector not all workers are awful. So give the officers and break. Just like not all residents of Bermuda are not awful.
What if, by recklessly running, he crashed and killed himself and his passenger…..or worse, an innocent road user or pedestrian? Still a good idea to run from a routine traffic stop?
but he didnt.
If you violently resist arrest you should expect the police to use as much force as is needed to make sure you’re arrested. The can’t pussyfoot around. They’re arresting you. In this case, the kid was violently resisting. You can’t later say “oh look, they made my nose bleed”. It’s your own stupid fault.
Rodney most of the folks who comment on these blogs and prone to reacting the way they do to scenarios like this one don’t have the the concerns you site. Because… well they’ve never had to be concerned about it.
If your mother don’t cut ya tail someone will.
This is his wake up call. I feel no remorse for him due to his prior engagement with the law. I can only hope that he will learn from all of this and stop being a menace to society.
So you’re fine with giving police a pass to do stuff like this? Start w the fact what they did had nothing to do with the kids prior. You’re speaking to stuff that’s after the fact. So again, you’re fine w police doing this?
One bad turn deserves another, and plenty corners on St. Johns Road. Next time stop when you are told!
Makes you wonder what insanity is running through the head of a person who thinks they can outrun police WHILE towing a passenger. Wonder what song the sister would be singing if the passenger was killed in his chase… Smh
She would have blamed the police I’m sure!
Well, it was their fault for chasing him.
… ‘dumbass’ aint cool, and ‘tough guys’ don’t panic and run like chickens…
‘though you ride like lightening, you crash like thunder’.
Interesting that some people have already tried and convicted the police officers in this incident. The advice from STFU is just outrageous. To suggest that any and every young person who the police try to stop for any reason should keep going is beyond ridiculous. So, for example, should a drunken young man on a stolen bike who is disqualified from driving ride like a lunatic and do everything possible to get away from the Police? STFU is inciting disaster.
Coffee “believes the boy” but has not heard what the police officers or any independent witnesses have to say. I have to wonder if Coffee actually knows the “boy” or his history. Has this young man ever been in trouble with the law before?
Rather than decide this matter on the evidence of a sister who was not a witness and but who assures us that her brother is not a “gang member”, and a 17 year old young man who appears to have been doing his utmost to get away from the Police, and who, according to the Police not only failed to stop but also violently resisted arrest, I would prefer to have the benefit of hearing what the Police and any other witnesses have to say before deciding on who is guilty of what.
The Police cannot disclose exactly what happened because this young man is entitled to a trial without the Police prejudicing his rights. But exactly the same rights should be given to the Police officers. If there is evidence to charge them with an offence then by all means do so, but in the meantime the Police should gather all the evidence available, including a statement from the person arrested if he wishes to make one. It will be interesting to see what comes to light in any subsequent trial.
So he beat up himself? DELUSIONAL.
At Common Sense, it is called Social Media New Sensationalisation of events. It behoves me how some told me that the young man may die and he is being operated on as he has bleeding on the brain. I was like wow. This is really bad…. only to come online to see an interview being given by this same young man and utterances being made by the sister who was not there…. it continues to baffle me as the world turns in day of our lives of these young and the restless people.
We are all so easy to jump on the back of the police without facts, more so when it is a black male involved. But have we ever stop to think what would have been the outcome it the black male had acted differently?
Jackass say the world is not level, and every day it is proven over and over….
Why do you think that is the case more so when a black male is involved?
I dont feel sorry for this boy..H.. search his name and u will see..a beating was well due to him they shouldve calles the woman he robbed a little while ago to get a few hits in..ijs
So police should have the right to do this before the courts are given a chance to pass judgement?
I am not a Dr but when beaten a different set of injuries could be apparent like lumps and bumps not grazes. The very act of NOT STOPPING but rather create a chase scenario smacks of guilt for something.
So police should have the right to do this before the courts are given a chance to pass judgement?
How many times are u gonna ask the same thing over and over? Get to the point ian! All u see is color. Stfu
He didn’t get enough. Should have taized him then pepper spray him. The people who think it is ok to evade policE and resist arrest… keep it up. If someone innocent a kid for instance get hit or killed by an idiot running from the cops on a 20 Sq mile island that person deserves the fullest extent of the law. It is high time the authorities get serious on these fools. Grab him cut his behind in a public lashing like they do in countries in the far East.
Put him under the jail. These are the same kids who go on to do even more serious crimes. Everyday there’s a robbery or some violent crime. Start cracking on these guys. Sickening, I’m a parent and if I had a child like that I should be arrested for not raising a better child. Cops stop playing with these boys. Do your job,use all he tools you have at your disposal. Keep them off the street. 1% of a population cannot decide to make the liveS of the other 99 unsafe
Didn’t get enough?? Tazed and pepper sprayed him?? Clearly got your great grand pappy’s blood coursing through your veins huh. Scary.
Again assuming he is white???
Should of never stopped now they will make you look like a fool.
What is going on?
I’m really starting to see a lot of immature adults living in Bermuda. All over social media I’ve seen adults becoming worse than us teens these days!!!!!!!
Grown adults on here have the nerve to say he deserved the beating he got from Police is outrageous! I’m not even going to lie I see teens commenting to. How would you feel seeing your son got beat up from the cops even after surrendering ? If this was your child or relative you would look at this differently. Do you guys even know the difference between what the job of a”Police” is suppose to do and not? Now he is strongly wrong on his behalf on pulling a chase and riding a bike that is meant to be driven by someone at the age of 18 but this doesn’t justify an act of forceful harm to someone. Police are obligated to keeping the community and its people safe. Do you consider this safe? The boys face is swollen as could be. Some of you older folks have even talked about how you’ve seen this young man and has seen him act out and be disrespectful. How does that have anything to do with him deserving this ? I’m sure you were even worse when you were the age of 17! How dare any of you comment on the parents of this young man? The REASON why his sister noted that He IS NOT A GANG MEMBER is simply because it seems like just because of his skin color others may consider him a guy that’s in a gang. Why can’t people just simply thing before commenting stupid s***! Everyone has a side to this story. Instead of commenting he deserves this we should be commenting on how Bermuda’s Police is interacting with the community and how is it that we haven’t heard of any more information on this from the officer or officers that were there? Now we don’t know the full story so I’d advice you all on social media to just simmer down on the stupidity and just actually think about what you say in social media. ………. -K✨
I don’t know about you, but at 17 I was out of school, gainfully employed, albeit in a low skills job, and not doing anything that would cause the police to pull me over, let alone have to chase me through the streets.
I doubt his skin colour would make too many people automatically think he was in a gang, though her loud denial now makes me wonder. Personally, just given his previous criminal act and that he ran from the police, with a passenger on board, would just make me think he was a thug wannabe and a bit of an idiot.
His sister’s behaviour has actually made things much, much worse. If you believe the police behaved badly, you don’t go to social media and act like you’re in a bad reality show. You get hospital reports, you get witness reports, you report the police officers, you report to your political rep and you go to real media calmly to state that an investigation has been requested so that the police can be held accountable to follow-up to the public.
Previous criminal act did it for me. If I recall he got a slap on the wrist for ROBBING a women. That type of behavior does not just ‘go away’
If this was a family memeber/friend who dangerously fled from the police, violently resisted arrest I wouldn’t bat an eye – it is deserved for not following rules/laws.
Having just read an article about Mr. Swan’s last run in with the law, it seems to me he’s not as innocent as his sister would like us to believe. Also, it’s very clear she’s playing up the “police brutality” angle to try and capitalize on all the social media outrage over the U.S. Police force and their atrocious, sometimes murderous behavior. Sorry to break it to you Ms. Swan, but Bermuda is a very small community, and people are very aware of your brothers recent brush (before this one) with the law. We’re also smart enough to know that our police are not even in the same category as those monsters over in ‘murica.
As an added note, regardless of what he did, if the allegations are true, the police have no right to use so much force.
So police should have the right to do this before the courts are given a chance to pass judgement?
Do you know any other words/sentences/phrases?
I’m not a detective or an investigator or anything like that, but if he “fell off of his bike” wouldn’t his clothing be a bit roughed up too? By the looks from the current pix it’s only his face that look roughed up. Maybe the lower part of his pants are messed up too?
Do I smell police brutality?
So I guess the BPS have been Rodney Kinging all along huh? Why I never knewed it
bda chi
dont bring the us problems here
you’re the majority
A wake up call so justice has been served for him? Its crazy to see this act goes on around the world but Bda doesn’t need to come to this behavior by the law. What next, we all going to read next time someone pulls chase instead of beaten him let’s shoot him. Like what happen to the training these cops do. People are so caught up on what he done in the pass like that makes it right. Should you be judged on things you do in the pass in every situation you get in.
Really no need to be so concerned (or melodramatic) about the consequences if you just obey the laws and comply with the law men / women charged with enforcing them.
Soooooo….Judging by all the perfect people posting this young man deserved to be beaten?….SMH….The article above that I just finished reading relates to a possible case of Police Brutality. ….The article is not about this individuals past.
His past might not be perfect just as many of you might not want a chapter of your life read out loud. I’m not excusing him of his actions just aso I refuse to accept the alleged behavior of the police.
This young man will face the charges that are pending as it pertains to this case and if the police have to answer to charges of brutality than it is only fair that they do so as well.
I am not here to take sides, as I like many of you commenting was not present while this event unfolded. But I (notice the use of the word “I”) would like to see that this situation is sorted as expeditiously as possible. We have heard two versions of events that do not correlate. Who’s telling the truth? Him? Them? Or is the TRUTH yet to be heard?
Instead of being “divided” wait until a full investigation has been held. Our opinions are going to vary and that is both normal and understandable but the back and forth with one another is not going to help us reach a resolution anytime soon.
Good things happen to good people…
Surely none of you think that the cops went on duty today with the intention of pounding the you know what out of somebody?
Do have any idea how much paperwork all of this creates. Who in their right mind wants to deal with all of that? The best shift is when nothing happens.
It is all well & good to sit at keyboards monday morning quarterbacking. The cops have to make a decision & act on a split second based on what somebody does. They don’t have the luxury of time to discuss what to do next.
So police should have the right to do this before the courts are given a chance to pass judgement?
Repeat.
And for the record I have 2 sons and if pulled over by police for whatever reason…..THEY STOP…. if issued a ticket so be it…. its call being held responsible for your actions. WHY DID HE RUN? STOPPING WOULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH EASIER. Clearly as much time as he spends in court he has to know someone to keep getting slapped on the wrist. Every action has a reaction. What was he afraid of? If I stop they will ticket me for breaking the law….. OH SO BADD… LIFE THREATENING or pull chase get my ass beat and than want everybody feel sorry for me…
So police should have the right to do this before the courts are given a chance to pass judgement?
Yes. The police have a legal right to do whatever they need to do, in order to arrest someone. When someone violently resists arrest, that obviously can result in the person being arrested coming off worse.
To most of us this is obvious.
I know exactly how most of you supporting the police actions here process the world. Don’t need the reminder.
In the real world there are instances where the police have to arrest someone who doesn’t want to be arrested.
So this is what baffles me, THE SAME PEOPLE SAYING HE DESERVED IT ARE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT SAY RIP MIKE BROWN, or BLACK LIVES MATTER. But now that it is happening in your own country, everyone is blind to both sides of the story. I WISH, I JUST WISH young Bermudians who are doing positive things could get this much comments! BUT as always, adults of Bermuda like to praise the kids that they see “Bad” with negative comments on social media’s. SO QUICK to critique us young Bermuda and quickly forgetting we are the people who have to clean up the mess adults like YOU made and make this country better when we get older. As Bermudians we need to do better! We need to stop letting social media consume most of our time! We need to remember that WE ARE ALL WE HAVE. together, as Bermudians we need to take care of one another, be kind to one another! They say it takes a village to raise a child but it takes a community to uplift everyone! Have a blessed year. Remember SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOT REAL. Its only what you want it to be. So don’t take it so personal.
Created a police chase by running from police? Violently resisted arrest? Hmmm…better think twice before visiting the U.S., son. Don’t think you would last long if that’s how you think.
So when he robbed that young girl back he was a good boy then? Sounds like he doesn’t want his 12 month conditional discharge to be turned into a sentence, so let’s blame the police for his behavior.
Nahhh looonk…..all we have to do is review patrol car camerah and officer cameras…..let the film speak.
Just a caution
I understand the families insistence on bringing the matter to the public’s attention but they need to be wary of ‘trying the case in the public arena’. As facts are revealed, they can prejudice the family’s position.
One example in this case is the reference to an apparent prior conviction that was previously reported in the press. In that case, it is important to note that the defendant denied the accusation but was ultimately convicted, the basis for the conviction and the cowardly nature of the offense.
No matter our personal beliefs, no one deserves to be assaulted as appears to be the case. Notwithstanding, police do have the authority to use a degree of force to subdue a resisting offender.
In the absence of all facts, we have to reserve our opinions. Hopefully any resulting allegations of undue force against the Officers will be investigated in a timely manner.
I note the reference to bleeding on the brain and trust that he will have a full recovery.
Just looked at the video. He says he “stopped the chase”, which suppose means he stopped his escape attempt at some point, and then “put the bike on the stand and put his hands up”.
So how is it that the passenger is still in hospital? What happened that caused her injuries?
#blacklivesmatter lol
Don’t start that here.
WHY IS HIS SISTER DEFENDING HER BROTHER’S BEHAVIOR? HE’S LUCKY THE POLICE BEAT HIM, (IF ITS TRUE) AND NOT THE LADY’S FAMILY, BECAUSE AFTER ALL HE DID SNATCH HER HANDBAG EARLY THIS YEAR.
Got what was coming to him. Learn from it or your next stop will be Westgate for 15-20.
It’s alright for the police to correct someone else’s child when they’re wrong,,,,, but let the mother beat the child like that… Shila, and the bps be at ya door ready to arrest the parent and take the child and admit him into foster care. Bermuda is one messed up island
Questiion. What happen to the passenger, why hasn’t he or she said anything. The victim and his sister gave a statement. Did they just stand there and watch his friend get beating by the police
Doe snot look that bad to me. Defendants always use the picture before wounds were cleaned for dramatic effect. Looks likee he fell off his bike to me.
Yeah Mr. Swan and your supporters, you are swimming against the tide of public opinion. Clearly the majority of the public who are law abiding have no sympathy for those like you who, from the reports, put others at risk. Your attempt to garner support by putting photos and video out in social media has failed.
I suppose if I had tried to avoid capture and then put up a fight to avoid arrest, I too would tell my mother and sister I was beat up. Certainly deflects attention away from my actions. In any case, why not wait for the complaint to be filed and investigation to take place?
What’s this slang “pull chase” crap?
It seems like it is an everyday event for some of you people. “Shall I stop or shall I “pull chase?”"
There is not supposed to be any choice you idiots, otherwise we end up with anarchy. Cop says stop…you stop. If not, and if you then violently resist arrest (which could include taking a swing at a police officer – even if you do not connect)you face the consequences. You cannot handcuff the police in doing their job.
If someone “pulls chase” and kills an innocent driver do they deserve a beating then? Would it matter? Your loved one is still dead.
He couldn’t even go three months after pleading guilty to following a woman with another young man and when she went to sit on a bench on Pitts Bay Road and call for help, they snatched he phone and her handbag. She must have been scared and didn’t deserve that.
It’s funny when you think about it! This 17 yr boy got his A** beaten pulling chase! 90% of these people commenting even myself at times should get there a** beaten. Like we all obey the laws of the roads.
How about when you in town n run a red light? ” But your a** shouldn’t be beaten”
Or when you on Reid St n stop short to let someone out of the car? “But your a** shouldn’t be beaten”
How about when your driving along n someone pulls out right in front of you like you wasn’t just driving along this road! “But your a** shouldn’t be beaten”
Or times when it rains people become the best driver ever! N stop short to let someone out of a gate? ” But your a** shouldn’t be beaten”
How about when your on a bike overtaking but you overtake in the inside instead of the outside? ” But your a** shouldn’t be beaten” Or times when your driving n texting? “But your a** shouldn’t be beaten”
How about when your out drinking n partying hard then go drive? “But your a** shouldn’t be beaten”
N to the cops when your speeding down the road to a call, your lights are on but WE the public can’t hear a damn thing like the siring don’t work in the vehicle or something? “But your a** shouldn’t be beaten” Just some things to think about before we say this young man deserve to be beaten. We all should look at his face n say damn we should look like him everyday! “But your a** shouldn’t be beaten”
IS THIS THE SAME CRIMINAL WHO ROBBED A WOMAN ON THE STREET???????
Appearing in Magistrates Court today [Sept 8], two teenagers pleaded guilty to charges involving snatching a woman’s bag and iPhone.
18-year-old Raheem Wray and 17-year-old Stanwon Swan both pleaded guilty following an incident which saw a woman’s bag and her iPhone being snatched on 12th August 2015.
The Crown Prosecutor told Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo that the pair of teenagers had followed the woman, and on Pitts Bay Road, she sat down and starting texting.
At that point one grabbed the iPhone while the other grabbed her bag, said to contain items to the value of $900. Both teenagers ran off and were chased as far as Gorham Road.
The Crown Prosecutor told the Magistrate that CCTV evidence along with positive identification to Police by one of the defendant’s mother assisted Police in arresting the teens.
Plain and simple, he traumatised that young lady as I personaly know her.
What did the judge do, slap his wrists and a bit of community service with a conditional discharge because he felt sorry for him, lets see how sorry he is going to be this time in court.
They are going to be visiting him in Casemates if he doesnt change his attitude very soon.
This is what i would call KARMA!!!!!! sorry young man. You deserved it.
Seriously…I strongly question the accusation of being beaten by the police. Am I to believe this boy who allegedly led the police on a high speed chase through a crowd of people, many of them small children gombey dancers, parents and spectators??? What consideration did he give to the danger he put them in??? Only by the grace of God no one was hit when he plough through the crowd on the wrong side of the road and mom..dad..sister you all would be singing a very different tune if he had crashed n killed himself..his passenger or another innocent bystander. Life is all about choices and he made the wrong choice by not stopping when asked to by the police. Hopefully he learned a very valuable leson and will try to make better choices. Thank you to officers for comming by to see if the kids were ok.
This could’ve all been avoided if the guy wouldve just stopped, not justifying the actions of the police, but when you do dumb crap where you risk the lives of yourself and others dont expect for a clean ending. Bermuda dont get this type of stuff too often so imagine the anxiety and the fear those officers had. Those officers have families and now theyre possibly risking their life to chase some ignorant guy. SMH-You play with fire youll most definitley get burned.
There two sides of a story…actually three…his…their’s and the TRUTH! I am inclined to believe them more, however before we jump to our own conclusions we really need to wait for the investigation of this situation.
We complain about our young people and the disrespect that the exhibit and then complain when one of them is roughed up in the course of breaking the law.
The bleeding hearts are the reason why we’re in this jacked up position. I don’t condone police brutality, but I’m all in favour of a cut ass when a youth is behaving badly.
Based on the allegations about him riding recklessly through a Gombey troupe, looks like everybody got off easily as he could have killed somebody.
When asked to pull over, you just do! Now because we live in a society where mamas boys are allowed to do whatever they choose, this will go to court, and guess who is paying for the trial? All of us who follow the laws. START RAISING YOUR CHILDREN LADIES!!!!
I agreed with you until your last sentence. It’s up to BOTH parents to raise their children. Unfortunately, when the father disappears the mothers over compensate by coddling their sons…hence turning them in spoilt brat mama’s boys. This syndrome has actually been studied by psychologists. Looks like the sisters are jumping on the bandwagon now and defending this atrocious behaviout.
And Gentlemen.
was he physically restrained or beat down for eluding or resisting arrest? or was he bumped off or kicked off the cycle. he was towing a girl that is still in hospital? how did she get hurt? If the family want to pursue legal action then they better have the money to hire a QC. Legal aid doesn’t support this type of action.
my daughter was warned not to ride shotgun with her ace girls….definitely not with a dude because these bies are reckless and selfish
Maybe we can get a video from the girl whose handbag he robbed recently. See how she feels about this event. He has plead guilty to it after all.
When a person violently resists arrest, stuff can happen. You are an architect of your own destiny sir. This ain’t the southern USA and you wont be able to get away with all that police brutality crap here. You had it coming.
Shouldn’t your last comment be START RAISING YOUR CHILDREN PARENTS!!!!! Why single out ladies???!!!! MOST parents do their best raising their kids whether they are single, married or in a relationship. We never know what our children will turn out to be like or know what decisions they will make along the way…..especially when their parents are not around them every second of the day.
The questions remains…….was the beating justified?! Someone must’ve seen something.
Karma works in strange ways!
you should be concerned for your own well being of you believe in karma.
Hahahahaha bie shut up. Anyone with half a brain knows what you just did there with your “coded” comment. Lmfao. Assume much ian? Thats one hell of a chip on your shoulder huh? The bie got what was coming to him and yes it was rightfully deserved kharma. Stop with the sour grapes. Lol
Not sure what you’re going on about but I think my statement applies to everyone…
I have to smile when I read some of the comments pertaining to the allegation of Police brutality. Because the young man made the allegation doesn’t mean it really happened. There are occaissions when people do exaggerate what really happened.
I wasn’t there and don’t know what really happened. Let the facts surface before we condemn the Police actions. Also let the facts relating to the allegation against Mr. Swan speak as well. Only when the truth is revealed should people make their views known.
Just my humble opinion.
I would like to start of by saying I am truly disturbed by majority of the comments in regards to this incident. Outlooks like this on police brutality is why it continues to flourish in societies worldwide; and these acts will continue if mindsets do not change. This young man’s history of theft has NO relevance whatsoever to the matter at hand; he was brutally abused.. THAT is the true problem. I am not condoning his actions of towing and barging through a group of people who could have been seriously injured; because yes that is wrong; but that matter should have been dealt with in the court room NOT by the police. The police HAD and have other options available, one being pepper spray if he was “resisting arrest.” And I say that with quotations because I am quite skeptic of that statement; being that the BPS went from saying he “fell of his bike” to “resisting arrest.” Hmmmm… covering something up hey? I wonder what they would say if he if he passed away from a concussion? What would be the excuse then? Their job is to serve and protect, something they failed to do. This is unjustifiable and truly heartbreaking, and as a 17 year old in this island myself I am concerned for Bermuda’s future. I hope that his family takes all the action in THE WORLD because THIS was police brutality in its purest form.
Idk about you but to me trying to stop a person from riding illegally counts as trying to serve and protect
If, repeat, If this young man was beaten by members of the BPS, and they are not punished for it, they may very well feel that is acceptable to continue in the role of judge, jury, and executioner.
When they repeat this alleged despicable, cowardly, behaviour, we better be prepared for fireworks.
THEY SAY THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND… AND THEY CONSIDER OUR GENERATION THE LOST ONE.
LOOK WHO WE HAVE AS OUR GUIDES.
DEFITMITELY THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND
What we need is a commission of inquiry on police brutality on the juveniles in Bermuda , especially juvenile’s deemed by the police and the googling public who seem to think that it is perfectly legal to administer sidewalk or jail cell justice on defenseless children . Also at the same time we need to demand that sexual predators who would take advantage of young incapacitated juvenile females in public are hunted down to the ends of earth .
what’s needed is for people to obey the law: plain and simple.
there is no defense for this foolishness on the accused’s part. one bad thing leads to another. that was Stanwon Swan’s bad decision.
The fact that the first police statement said he decked and now they are saying he resisted arrest means the police are lying. The cops involved should be suspended until a full investigation has been done if they are found guilty they should be fired and charged with assault. Mr. Swan should still be charged for his breaking of the law. Police are here to protect and serve, not to pick up pay checks and beat citizens. No matter what he done wrong it is not an officers job to hand out justice. All of you saying this boy deserved his mistreatment must also then agree this senseless circle of gun violence is ok as ‘they deserve it’ ‘what goes around comes around’ this mentality really shows our maturity level as a country with so many siding with abusive police and automatically judging this boy as wrong for his past actions.
so its impossible to deck and then resist arrest? Decking out doesnt eliminate his desire to avoid the police
Loll all these comments are making me laugh. NUMBER 1 it doesn’t matter what the f**k he done. The cops job is to uphold the law not to break it because a child is breaking it. How is anyone supposed to respect the cops when there beating up the youth. Bermuda is very small so I can’t see how the cops could ever think that this would like in our small community. Personally I don’t like the police because I’ve always thought they take advantage of their titles that there handed. They hear cop or Sgt and think it means they are above us. I could really care less what the boy done. Wrong is wrong! NUMBER 2: Didnt the mother of 3 just get convicted of murder the other day for hitting a child in the head with a bat. Did anyone give her leeway because the boy disrespected her first No! Case went on and she in jail right. Exactly so same rules should apply she did not beat the law and neither should the police. NUMBER 3: How many times is the story going to switch from the police. First he just won’t stop then he violently resisted arrest. To me it sounds like the police are trying to cover up the real story. And like I said already regardless it doesn’t matter what he done. The police have no right to beat up on people. NUMBER 4: HOW is it possibly that you can all be trying to clash his sister when she’s only sticking up for her brother. It doesn’t matter if she was there home or away. She knows her brother better than any of you! She knows what he would and wouldn’t do. Also it’s killing me to know that you all are dumb a** people trying to bring up his past incidents like it matters. Didn’t he admit to that one time. He never tried to lie so why lie now. NUMBER 5: AND for those who don’t believe the police would do this ask your friends and family how much times the police have hit them with the baton or phone books at the station. They think there smart and clever. All this bs is going change. BERMUDA is to small for this dumbness. Also do you know how much cops have gone away to get special training and all that. I WOULD NEVER PUT IT PAST THEM.. DON’T TRUST THE POLICE!!
AND TO THE FAMILY OF STAWON SWAN.. INVESTIGATE BECAUSE YOU KNOW THERE LYING..
Would never happen to one of Bermudas precious white children. No matter how messed up and ill mannered they are.
Has happened, so stop your racism!
Hes got sour grapes cause the perp looked like him. Plain and simple. And we arent all precious mate. The beating my “precious” friend took was worse than his by ten fold. Chained him up threw him in the wagon and beat the life outta him. THAT picture is not a beating. That kid got off easy.
More racism from you Ian, is that all you have to offer?
This lady just helped her brother convict himself by admitting to a chase on social media.
It’s perfectly OK to be concerned about love ones but, when your dealing with the law, you have to be smart in your thinking…
Just a question. Was he tested for riding under the influence of anything.
What would you lot say if this was an MP’s son who raced away from police, refused to stop? Would you use your contacts to ensure the Police involved were “sent back” to their countries or fired from the BPS?
Appearing in Magistrates Court today [Sept 8], two teenagers pleaded guilty to charges involving snatching a woman’s bag and iPhone.
His interview and the photos make me wonder if the medical staff at the hospital have any comment. Surely if he is “bleeding on the brain” shouldn’t he be in a hospital gown in bed? What’s the deal with the blood pressure band on the outside of his clothes, that won’t work. Perhaps KEMH could comment and add another side to this story.
There is no suggestion from reliable sources or witnesses that he has been beaten by the police. Just fortunate no innocent people got injured in the chase or that he wasn’t shot/tasered given his record. Let him lay a charge and take it to court. And hopefully the courts will take his licence away from him then his people can drive him around and keep an eye on his lovely self.
So this guy has “bleeding on the brain”? Doesn’t seem like this is a big deal as if anything in this story is accurate it seems like he doesn’t use it much anyway!!
I am 16 years old and you grown folk sound so ignorant it’s appalling. Some of you are patents and you are saying that he deserved to get beaten and that your child would received another beating at home. First of all take a look at this boy’s face. So your telling me that you would be perfectly fine with seeing your child’s face like his. And you would proceed to beat them more? That is police brutality and if you beat you child as they did that is child abuse but I’m sure you knew that. And you as the parent as well as the police officer could go to jail for that. I would also like to address the fact that in the police statement not once did the police officer state the reason why the boy was pulled over. You are all bringing up the past about what occurred in September but what’s your point? If he were dead would he still deserve the beating? To me his face looks pretty severely injured. I honestly can’t imagine a parent seeing their child’s face as his and being okay with it. Stanton admitted what he did was wrong. He was also handcuffed while being beaten. Please think before you speak. This is no different than the same situations that are going on in the rest of the world. Police officers power tripping. I pray that you would all get some sense and a piece of mind.
As was stated in the interview the same police officer often harrasses him. And as many of you may not know stanwon was earlier arrested for no reason earlier this year by the same olive officer.
You are part of the problem – stay in school.
If the badge was off and an off duty policer did the what would your response be then?
Stanwon is not the first person to pull chase. You ignorant people so why when it comes to him being beaten by a police officer you all have something to say in their defense. So pretty much your saying anyone who breaks the law such as j walking not paying a speeding ticket deserves to get beaten
No one is ‘pretty much’ saying that at all.
No violently resisting arrest means ur gonna get beaten
And you are all right karma always comes back around so you all better watch your backs.
I’m sure the police have a few others on their list to dish out lashes to. Some people are here mentioning the US…he’s lucky, they kill for less over there. So he ran and got his ass beat. Big whoop. Dont run just take your ticket. Isn’t this guy a purse snatcher too? Google him. People want sympathy for everyone. Not saying he deserved to get beaten “half to death” as some of the over exaggeraters put, but a little issue is a nice lesson. He seemd to be talking fine in the video.
Been happening for years….advice to those that can’t ride…dont pull chase. …you will get beaten if caught.
That’s the problem right there, because he isn’t a gang member all his other trespasses get a blind eye…OK m88888te.Thats like saying to mums,”he beats me but at least he doesn’t cheat on me”……WTF?
The funny thing is the term “pull chase”
Know plenty off ppl the got knocked around a bit after a chase back in the day.
no big deal.
After a chase both parties are hyped up and the slightest thing will set either off. That’s all folks
HIs hands don’t look like he was fighting anybody. No scratches, bruises or swelling? Hmmmm? He looks like he was beaten up to me.
AH it is good that this young punk got a good a## wooping,the Bermuda Regiment would help him a great deal.
But they would not have him in the Regiment ,he could not even get in the Regiment.
NOW these bye’s have got to get out there and do more of the same as it is not fair that the police keep picking on those that have criminal intent.
@guy oh you ignorant fool if good things happen to good people than how come martin luther king was shot and jesus was beaten to death and hung on a cross. those don’t seem like good things to me.
Thanks for posting photos. Now we all know to be extra vigilant with our belongings if we see this young man around given his previous handbag snatching conviction (http://bernews.com/2015/09/teens-plead-guilty-to-snatching-womans-bag/). It sounds like he has a troubled past and still needs help.
The amount of Likes the comments are getting is unsettling
Could the use of corporal punishment in schools prevent this kind of situation.
I wonder.
All I have to say is I don’t think anybody should get beating up. But I find it funny how the sister and anybody involved in this boys life like to paint this innocent picture for the media. Let’s stop being in denial he likes to play with fire but when he finally gets burned oh his such a good boy doesn’t get in trouble with the law etc please stop these boys have these problems half the time because family never stood up and corrected until somebody else corrects their child! Get it together people. #justsaying
The video “wounds” look like he fell off his bike and hit his face. Not beaten up.