David Chanen, The Minneapolis Star Tribune
A Minneapolis police officer reported that he thought a man was moving aggressively in his direction before a dispute that might have caused the man’s head injury.
The family of 52-year-old Dana Canty has said that he suffered a skull fracture when officer Alan Williams pushed him and that an ambulance was never called to help Canty.
The officer’s account of what happened was first revealed Monday at a news conference in which police said they were starting an official internal affairs investigation.
A preliminary inquiry began Saturday, police said.
In an effort to gain the community’s trust about how the department is dealing with such allegations, police officials contacted several members of the community group that is working to improve relations with police. Authorities explained the steps they are taking in addressing this and hoped that the community members would reach out to the family.
Canty and others had been drinking Friday night in a sport utility vehicle outside his home in northeast Minneapolis when a squad car pulled up. Officers asked them to take the party inside. Williams, who is still on duty, wrote in his report that Canty appeared to be drunk and angry.
After Williams pulled Canty out of the vehicle, Canty approached the officer in an aggressive manner, Williams wrote. He pushed Canty on the shoulders, causing him to fall down, the report said.
Canty’s neighbor said she called 911 to get an ambulance, but an operator transferred her to the Second Precinct. Canty was eventually taken to the Hennepin County jail, where he was booked on a warrant on a misdemeanor vehicle tampering charge in Sherburne County.
Before he was admitted to jail, Canty was asked if he had suffered an injury in the past 24 hours or if he needed medical attention, said Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Jeff Bakken. Canty answered “no,” but a nurse examined him an hour later after relatives told deputies that he might have a head injury.
The nurse found no neurological problems and scheduled an appointment with a doctor in the morning, Bakken said. Canty was bailed out by 1:30 a.m., he said.
Canty told relatives that he hadn’t been able to call for a ride when he was released. Bakken said Canty was told about free telephones at the jail.
Relatives said they found Canty on the Hennepin Avenue Bridge, apparently walking home.
Canty was later taken to North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale, where he is listed in fair condition. His brother, Richard Canty, said he doesn’t know when he will be released.
When told that Williams said Dana Canty was moving in an aggressive manner, Richard Canty didn’t believe that.
“That’s ridiculous,” he said. “Everybody who witnessed this is appalled at the way he [the officer] acted.”
Richard Canty said his brother asked for the officer’s name and badge number and didn’t get lippy with him.
Williams gave this account in his report:
Dana Canty and a woman didn’t make any attempt to get out of the vehicle when he asked them to go inside because of noise complaints.
When Williams opened the door to the vehicle, numerous beer bottles fell out. Williams grabbed Canty by the arm, pulled him out of the vehicle and again told him to go inside.
Canty approached Williams in an aggressive manner and stated, “You might as well take me to jail, then.” Canty continued to move toward Williams aggressively, and Williams pushed Canty down.
Canty was arrested on suspicion of drunken and disorderly conduct, but those charges were dropped. The Canty family said Dana Canty’s hearing problem may have hampered the situation. Second Precinct Inspector Medaria Arradondo said he didn’t know whether the officers who responded knew he had a hearing problem.
Williams, who has been an officer for more than 10 years, has had four internal affairs complaints since 1997 that were deemed unfounded.
The internal investigation will focus on whether Williams used excessive force and if it contributed to Canty’s injuries, Arradondo said. Officers will also look into any policy issues or violations involving the neighbor’s 911 call for help.
Arradondo said he didn’t know the exact chain of events surrounding the call, but it wouldn’t be uncommon for an officer on the scene to be in contact with a 911 dispatcher to see whether an ambulance or other services are needed.