Canton police are responding after a home security video posted to social media late Monday night showed an officer directing a juvenile to the ground on a front porch and placing him in handcuffs during a search for a wanted suspect.
Police Chief John Gabbard said Tuesday that officers were searching Monday for multiple people believed to have been involved in a recent series of thefts involving Kia and Hyundai vehicles. Police said at least one juvenile was believed to be involved.
The primary suspect in the investigation was identified as Kenneth Moore Jr., 18, who police said had felony warrants, was suspected of being armed with a gun and has a history of assault.
According to the Canton Police Department, a K-9 team tracked the suspects north from the area of WC Henderson Avenue NE, across Lippert Road NE and toward Highland Road NE.
Police said officers working ahead of the K-9 track encountered a juvenile on the porch of a home in the 700 block of Highland Road NE who they believed matched the description of one of the people they were searching for.
The home security video, which circulated on social media Monday night, shows an officer directing the juvenile to the ground on the front porch. Police said the juvenile was secured in handcuffs while officers determined whether he was involved.
Officers quickly determined the juvenile was not involved, removed the handcuffs and continued their search, according to the department.
Moore was later found hiding behind a house across the street in the 800 block of Highland Road NE, police said.
Gabbard said he expects Canton officers to communicate professionally and respectfully and said their actions should be guided by department values and training.
“It is never our intention to subject innocent bystanders to custody or involve the general public unnecessarily in police operations,” Gabbard said.
Gabbard said the short video circulating online does not show all of the circumstances officers were dealing with at the time. He said the incident and the officer’s actions remain under review and declined to comment specifically on whether the officer acted appropriately.
The chief also pointed to what he described as an increasing concern involving juveniles and gun violence.
“We cannot dismiss an officer’s safety concerns simply because he or she is contacting a juvenile,” Gabbard said.
Police are asking anyone with information related to the investigation to contact the Canton Police Department.
