A West Side Chicago student is accused of attacking two officers this week— forcing them to deploy tasers on her, authorities said.
But the student tells NBC 5 cell phone video--which only captured a portion of the incident--proves the officers used excessive force.
The 16-year-old student is charged with two counts of aggravated battery against the officers—who were transported to the hospital after the altercation with the student.
Both the student and her father believe the officers could have handled the incident differently, they said in an interview Friday evening.
On Tuesday morning at Marshall High School, 11th-grade student Dnigma Howard says she was tased three times by two Chicago police officers.
Cellphone video was captured by another student after police say Howard and an officer fell down a flight of stairs when they tried to escort her out of the building.
"He forcibly put his hand, like pushed me toward the stairs, causing me to fall down the stairs," Howard said. "Which I reacted by pulling his vest."
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In the video Howard is seen kicking one of the officers.
Police say she also bit and punched them— sending both to the hospital with multiple injuries.
Howard—seen with a visible injury on her face--was also sent to the hospital. She says it started when she refused to give up her cell phone to the school’s assistant principal.
"If they escorted me out the school the right way with handcuffs or something, I would have went," Howard said. "But you tried to push me down the stairs."
Howard’s father— Laurentio--stood by her in juvenile court Friday as a judge demanded she wear an electronic monitoring device and stay away from the school for at least two weeks.
Her father says he plans to help her fight the charges and hold CPD accountable for the incident.
"It’s their word against our word," he said. "So, right now, I’m glad we have part of the video."
Chicago police would only provide details of the incident—opting not to comment further.
Chicago Public Schools also declined to provide a statement.
So far— the Howards haven’t filed any complaints against the city.
