Video released after Indiana man is tased by Michigan City police, officers recover gun

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. - Body camera video was released by Michigan City police Thursday afternoon after an Indiana man was tased by officers earlier this week.

Michigan City police released a statement Wednesday saying they were dispatched to the 1000 block of West 9th Street on Tuesday for a suspicious vehicle chasing two males on foot, and one of the subjects possibly had a weapon.

Tahir Kelly was walking alone in that area when he was stopped by police.

At the beginning of the footage, Kelly is seen speaking with several officers, when one asked him his name. Kelly originally said his name was Tahir Benson

An officer ran the name and returned to Kelly, and asked again for his ‘real’ name.

He gave his full name, Tahir Kelly, and explained that he just got married and that his wife's name is Mary Benson, which is why he gave that last name.

Again, the officer runs the name.

After exiting the squad car, the officer tells Kelly to turn around. At that point, Kelly takes off running.

"I was minding my own business, they swarmed me, they came from everywhere," said Kelly in a report with FOX 32 Wednesday. "They tased me in my back."

The officer gives chase, and tases Kelly.

Kelly is seen falling to the ground — face first — on video. 

Officers then begin searching Kelly's belongings, and one officer is heard saying, "Let's get him off his face."

GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING: Content in this video is disturbing and graphic. Viewer discretion is strongly advised. 

An officer eventually finds Kelly's identification and tells the others his full name, to which the officer who ran his name originally said, "That's his name? Are you serious? Tahir Kelly? That's what he told me. What is he runnin' for?"

The officer who originally ran Kelly's name then sits him up as they wait for medics.

Kelly begins adjusting his jacket. At this time, the officer yells, "Gun! Gun!"

A gun is seen on the ground, and the officer says that Kelly was trying to "ditch it."

Kelly is heard saying, "What gun? What gun?"

Medics then arrive on scene, and Kelly is put in an ambulance.

We blurred Kelly’s face, head, eye and mouth in this report because of the graphic nature of his injuries.

Derris Baylor, Kelly’s mother, said her son is developmentally delayed, and she was able to view some of the body worn video before police released it to the public. 

"He got scared, and he tried to run, and they tased him in his back and his spine, his body locked up, and he started gurgling, and he fell," said Baylor. "That’s when I got up and left."

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Police did respond to these claims, saying in part:

"Officers were unable to confirm the identity of the 26-year-old male initially who gave varying names. As officers attempted to place the male into custody, the male fled on foot running from police.  Officers pursued the male and deployed a taser to assist in the apprehension of the male who was resisting arrest. As a result of being tased, the male fell to the ground and sustained injuries to his facial area."

It goes on to say due to the injuries sustained from the fall, "the male was released from police custody to receive medical care."