London – Britain’s police watchdog is to hold an investigation after officers were filmed firing a stun-gun at their own local black race relations adviser, who they apparently mistook for a wanted suspect, the force involved said.
Judah Adunbi, 63, a founder member of an Independent Advisory Group (IAG) which works with Avon and Somerset Police to improve relations with the local black community, was shot with the high-voltage Taser gun outside his home in Bristol last Saturday.
A neighbour’s video of the incident posted on newspaper websites showed two officers speaking to Adunbi, saying they believed he was someone who was wanted. He refused to give his name, saying “I’ve done no wrong”, and later, after a brief scuffle, one officer shot him with a stun gun.
“The way I fell backward on the back of my head. I was just paralysed. I thought that was it. I thought they were taking my life,” he said.
Avon and Somerset Police said they had referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
On its website, Avon and Somerset Police say, “IAGs have a vital role in helping us build better relationships, especially with our diverse communities.”