Cops didn't understand he was deaf

Cops that morning

Context: In 2019, John Kelley, a deaf man from Austin, Texas, experienced a distressing encounter with the San Marcos Police Department. During an argument with his wife, which involved animated signing, a bystander misinterpreted the situation and called the police. When officers arrived, Kelley, who is 6'9" and unarmed, attempted to communicate his deafness, but was met with a swift and forceful response. The officers, assuming he might be reaching for a weapon, tasered him three times and kicked him twice, despite his and his wife's efforts to convey his disability. This incident, witnessed by Kelley's family, led to no disciplinary action against the officers involved. Kelley has since filed a federal lawsuit against the city and the three officers, alleging violations of his civil rights and discrimination in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The lawsuit also accuses the officers of excessive force and seeks damages for the trauma inflicted on Kelley and his family​​​​​​​​​​. FYI, I focus on adding context to social media posts that often lack it. If you're interested in seeing posts with added clarity and background, consider following me.

Atlanta is NOT a real place 😭

I cant believe it took them that long to realize he was deaf and stressed him for that long.

That must've been so scary and traumatizing - desperately trying to communicate with people that are supposed to keep the community safe, while they supposedly think you're a threat and ganging up on you .. I wonder what happened to the lawsuit afterwars

Amazon delivery driver walks straight through police standoff to deliver package

Society needs more cops like him ❤️👏

It couldn't be more clear he was deaf unless he was holding a sign

American police after beating up the disabled

I hope he sues the shit out of them. What a traumatic experience that must have been. Turns out he did. Good.