Anonymous juvenile male

What the file shows

Per Commander Hingtgen's Use of Force Review, while Sgt. Wells was lying on top of the suspect, the juvenile told Wells he couldn't breathe. Wells "dismissed the suspect's statement by saying that he could breathe just fine and that it was the wrong answer." The reviewer wrote: "Due to several high profile incidents throughout this country these are not acceptable statements."

Cpl. Lyons's body-worn camera captured the moment: the juvenile is lying on the ground while Wells lies on top of him and "does not appear to be resisting in anyway shape or form at this point." The review concludes: "Sgt. Wells landed on the suspect's chest area and kept contact with his forearm. The suspect stated he could not breathe. Sgt. Wells stated 'wrong answer' as he moved his forearm off the suspect's chest and towards his face to move it away from him."

Medical aid was not requested for nearly 20 minutes after the use of force — only after the handcuffed juvenile began vomiting in the back of a patrol vehicle. He was ultimately transported to the hospital. The reviewer found that once the boy was cuffed and in the car, "it was then safe and feasible to request medical aid. Medical aid should have been requested a lot sooner than it was, especially with the statement that the suspect made in reference to not being able to breathe."

Final command finding: "The use of force for this incident was unnecessary as fast as it occurred. Therefore, making the use of force unnecessary and unreasonable." Disposition: Not Within Policy. Chief Beazizo's BlueTeam entry: "Command Reviewed - Not within policy - Internal Investigation started - Deputy Chief on approved leave - forwarded to OPS."

Why this file matters

Sgt. Chad Wells — 11 years on the badge, salaried supervisor, the same Wells the City has retained complaint after complaint — pinned an intoxicated teenager to the pavement, told him "wrong answer" when he said he couldn't breathe, and let him sit cuffed and vomiting in a patrol car for twenty minutes before calling medics. RCW 10.93.190 specifically warns against keeping subjects prone in a position that impairs breathing. Wells did it to a child. The department's own command staff finally called it "unnecessary and unreasonable" — eleven years too late.