Arlington Police Officer Points Gun at 7-year-old

[WaTcHeR]

The Wooten family of Arlington say they have always believed that police are there to help, but the next time Pamela Wooten calls on the Arlington Police Department, she says she may have trouble trusting officers.

"Our lives were in danger," says Wooten "This officer runs with his gun out - right through the yard waving it at us telling us to get down."

Wooten, 46, says it all started during a disturbance Wednesday night. Arlington Police were across the street in the 2300 block of Sherry Street responding to the disturbance. But then there were gunshots and resident say those officers immediately swarmed the Wooten's front yard on Summer Place Drive.

"I said 'sir we have kids in the house, the shooting happened around there' he said 'I don't give a damn. I'll shot in there too,'"

Wooten says the officer then pointed his weapon at one of her grandkids. "He pushes the door open, my 7-year-old is standing right here, he's got the gun in the 7 year's face."

Five of Wooten's grandkids, between the ages of 3 to 10 were inside her house.

Neighbors are outraged too. "The disturbance was across the street, there was no disturbance at this house," explains Wesley Wommack, who lives across the street from the Wooten's.

Wommack watched it all unfold. He says he couldn't believe out of so many officers no one was listening. "They conducted their business in a wrongful manner."

Wooten has filed a complaint with Arlington's Internal Affairs department. Her neighbors were in the process of doing the same thing late Thursday afternoon.

Woten says she understand that police have a tough job, but she says they have no right to treat innocent people and their kids like criminals. "What all are you going to do about my 7-year-old, the one that is autistic, and my grandbabies that are nervous and urinating on themselves," says Wooten.

CBS 11 News wanted to know if the officers thought the gunshots were coming from Wooten's house.
The department has refused to comment other than to say they're looking into the complaint.



http://cbs11tv.com/local/arlington.poli ... 17011.html