80-Year-Old Hearing Impaired Veteran Beaten By Police

Written by: EV

Bill Swan, an 80-year-old Missouri veteran, has been charged with assault after an altercation with police officers. Swan and his family have accused the officers of using excessive force, resulting in a bruised and bloodied face, a bruised hip, and two broken ribs.

Report from RT:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5iB1YknT1k#t=72)

According to police, the incident began when Swan confronted public works employees attempting to repair utility lines. Police were called to Swan’s home after the utility crew decided the situation was getting out of hand, and when officers arrived, Swan was sitting upon his tractor.

In a statement from Police Chief William Forbes, the senior citizen tried to “back into their police car. The officers gave him verbal and hand signs to stop. He refused to do so, turned his tractor around and tried to run over the officers.”

Relatives have rejected Forbe’s account of the incident saying Swan most likely didn’t hear the officers’ commands due to his severely limited hearing.

Forbes continues that Swan tried to fight with police, and even attempted to get one of the officer’s firearms. However, Tim Swan, Bill’s grandson, told reporters that his grandfather has limited mobility and needs help getting up the stairs.

“Obviously he’s not going to fight back, he’s not going to hurt anybody,” Tim Swan stated.

“During the scuffle trying to subdue him, he suffered a cut on his head,” Forbes said. “EMS was called. EMS responded. He was abusive to them and refused treatment.”

This statement doesn’t address the bruises and abrasions to Swan’s face, nor the bruised hip and broken ribs that were also obtained during the scuffle, as can be clearly seen from the photos after Swan’s release. Forbes told KCTV that he thinks his officers handled the situation properly;

“It doesn’t matter how old a man is if he’s on a tractor and he’s trying to run you over.”

Swan and his family have been left shaken by the event, and are fearful of another run-in with the Lone Jack police.

“It makes me worried,” Tim Swan commented in a statement to WDAF-TV. “Police officers are supposed to serve and protect, and instead they’re going after people that pay their taxes, that do the right things, and are law-abiding citizens, and they’re picking on the small guy.”

“I’m afraid for us to even drive out of our driveway or to get on the street,” Libby Swan, Bill Swan’s wife, told KCTV. “I don’t know what they will do.”

KCTV’s report on Swan’s arrest:

(http://www.kctv5.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=10851081)

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Sources:

Alba, Alejandro. New York Daily News. Nov 19, 2014. (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/80-year-old-man-police-beat-broke-ribs-article-1.2016463)

Garcia, Arturo. Raw Story. Nov 18, 2014. (http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/11/missouri-cops-beat-80-year-old-hearing-impaired-veteran-for-not-getting-off-of-his-tractor/)