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Ohio woman tased at middle school football game after allegedly refusing to wear mask, resisting arrest

A confrontation at a middle school football game between a school resource officer and a woman over her refusal to wear a mask ended with her being tased and arrested, the Logan Police Department in Ohio announced Thursday.

While working during the game at Logan High School Stadium, officer Chris Smith reportedly approached the woman, Alecia Kitts, and told her she needed to wear a mask as required by Logan Hocking School District policy. Kitts reportedly refused, saying she has asthma. Smith reportedly advised she put her mask on multiple times, then told her she would have to exit the game or be cited for trespassing.

The video above captured by a bystander shows the result of the standoff, with Smith attempting to arrest Kitts. The woman can be seen protesting and refusing to put her hands behind her back, and being aided by another woman.

Eventually, Smith is seen pulling out his taser and subduing Kitts — police say he had advised her would do so if she continued to resist — then finally handcuffs her.

Smith escorted the handcuffed Kitts, who reportedly refused to identify herself, out of the stands. Kitts was reportedly placed in a police cruiser, charged with criminal trespassing and released at the scene.

The release from police says additional charges are pending for Kitts and the other woman, and stresses that she was not arrested for refusing to wear a mask, but for refusing to leave the premises when asked.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine reacts to arrest

Details of the incident eventually made their way to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who was asked about the incident at his COVID-19 briefing on Thursday, according to WSYX. DeWine said he had reached out to the school district for information, and said the superintendent backed Smith’s behavior in the confrontation:

“To anyone judging that school, that officer, that person: they were trying to follow the guidelines of Ohio High School Athletic Association to let the kids play,” DeWine said. “It’s sad when we see something like that happen.”

The superintendent also reportedly said they placed the district on “lockout” on Thursday after receiving a threat over the phone.

An end zone pylon against an evening sky.
A confrontation between a school officer and the woman ended with her being tased and handcuffed. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

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