This morning, Second District Officers Vic Nan and Marty Lentz gave pursuit after noticing three juveniles out after curfew near the West Side Market. As they began their chase, the 17-year-old kids fled. The whole story is available at the Second District Community Relations Committee's Facebook page, but here's where the police work hits a towering climax (emphasis ours):
As the chase unfolded, C-Platoon Officer Scott Sistek #1395 and his partner, who were also patrolling the area, observed the pursuit and joined in, following the suspect in their marked zone car before also joining in the foot pursuit. As the pursuit continued, the 17-year old suspect from Cleveland's far east side pulled a semi-automatic, .380 caliber handgun from his waistband as Officer Sistek closed in on him. Still running, the juvenile fumbled with and dropped the handgun as he approached W.25 St. Fearing for his safety, Officer Sistek then "Tasered" the felon, causing him to crumble to the ground thereby ending the pursuit and the threat posed by the once armed delinquent.The bit about Sistek "fearing for his safety" is an interesting callback to Officers Timothy Loehmann and Darren Wilson, of Cleveland and Ferguson, Mo., respectively, who similarly said they feared for their safety and then shot and killed unarmed "suspects." Sistek, meanwhile, is here dealing with a known felon who's pulling a semi-automatic. And he busts out the Taser.
All three juveniles are now locked up in the County Detention Center.
The officers' efforts are currently being lauded by the Second District community.
