Police Respond To Cell Phone Video Showing Apparent Tasing Of Unarmed Man In North Austin

NORTH AUSTIN, TX — Cell phone video of a recent arrest during which a young man acting belligerent toward others who appears to be tasered by an officer making the rounds of social media was a case of public intoxication, police told Patch.

The video taken by Austin resident Victoria Watson took place on Feb. 7 at the corner of 42nd and Duval streets. In a Facebook post, Watson said she counted five police cars responding to the bus stop where the man was standing.

"A white woman complained of an aggressive pedestrian giving people the finger and threatening them, even though he did not engage with anyone," Watson, who works nearby, wrote. "This young man is clearly not entirely present. And his behavior seems to lean more towards a mental imbalance than a drug-induced situation. From the moment the police officer stopped in the middle of the road, I knew something was off and began recording."

The responding officer called for backup after the man was unresponsive toward him, Watson wrote. When the man attempted to board his bus, he was tasered. " 'I'm just trying to go to work,' " she quoted the man as having told the officers after being tasered.

The woman's video has been shared more than 600 times on Facebook and solicited hundreds of comments from followers on social media.

In response to a series of questions related to the incident, an Austin Police Department spokesperson said they were aware of the video and would investigate the matter to determine if correct protocol was followed. In her Facebook page, Watson said police asked her to provide her cell phone to study the video, but she twice declined their request.

"The Austin Police Department is aware of the video," the police spokesperson said. "As is standard protocol, the chain of command will review the report and all videos to determine if any policy violations occurred. Thank you for your patience as we work through this process."

Police said Nedialko Dimitrov, 35, was arrested and charged with public intoxication, evading detention and resisting arrest following his arrest. He was taken to a hospital for treatment, but declined medical attention, police said. He was then transported to Travis County Jail. Attached please find his booking photo.

In their statement to Patch, police didn't address several other questions asked of them, including: the names of the police officers involved, the amount of bond set for the suspect's release and whether the man suffers from mental illness given his erratic behavior seen on the video.

Austin police recently have come under fire in the wake of several violent encounters with suspects later deemed to be mentally ill or suffering from mental distress, with advocates calling for expanded training on how to deal with members of the community thus afflicted.

>>> Booking photo of Nedialko Dimitrov provided by Austin Police Department