you know what you think that's fun don't don't touch my I don't have a weapon that's a weapon this is a bucket no that's a weapon give me some space dude give me some space give me some help Joshua Roberts on September 9 2022 Robert found himself in a tense situation outside a local store where he was filming as he stood capturing footage two store employees approached him quickly escalating the interaction they questioned his presence assertively challenging his tone was firm urging the men to maintain their distance you don't have my permission you can turn that off right now have have my face what was that I can't hear you you don't have my signed authorization to have my face on that camera turn it off can I have your signed authorization this guy's coming up aggressive everyone can I help you no can we can you help us yo get away from me buddy I no dude who are you away from me dude why why are you here back why are here I suggest you leave me alone uh you're on private property uh I suggest you do something about that then and get back inside o really yeah really the confrontation intensified as the employees claimed Robert was trespassing on private property and should leave Robert counted and despite his attempts to deescalate the situation the men pressed on encroaching on his space and trying to grab his phone in response Robert defensively pulled out his taser cautioning you like going around people like this you know what you think that's fun don't don't touch my buddy that's oh go ahead do it do it what that's on camera back the what are we doing here back the buddy you touch you get tased get the back inside what what's going on here get in my face I'll do something Buddy get inside call 911 get inside call the sheriff's department whoa dude whoa dude you just come up and grab people is wrong with you you're homie D don't hate my homie this this is private property you say you're filing this is an easement I'm not on your property you see that that belongs to the city and why why are you here anyway so let me ask you a question does that give you the right to come up and grab my camera and almost break talking people here hey you assaulted me buddy call 911 call hey call your husband amidst the confrontation the men accused Robert of trespassing he clarified that he was on an eastment a legal right to use the property for a specific purpose without owning it which they ignored the disagreement continued and the employees decided to call the police believing Robert was violating their property rights as the police arrived the atmosphere was charged with tension on buddy oh nothing just getting assaulted out here that's about it getting assaulted Yeah by one of their workers what what happened I was just out here taking some pictures and one of the guys came out here saying he didn't want to be filmed and he ran up to me started circling me grabbed my camera started pushing up on me so that sounds like an assault to me and it's all videotaped you have it on video oh it's all recorded luckily he didn't break my camera otherwise I probably could show you guys if you want to see it because I do want to press charges on him was there something involved in a Tas oh I pulled it out in self- defense okay when you come out at me like that and you're about to destroy my stuff and put do B harm to me you're right I'm going to pull a taser on someone you need to tell that guy he needs to not put hands on people it's a short little fat guy I'm I'm I'm addressive oh yeah we're going to do a report on him too that's fine we we can do that oh yeah you're going to have to learn just I just need to give this defit your information for me all right you got have an ID or something I don't have an ID yeah buddy you're going to learn you can't come outside and grab people man that ain't right let me address something while we're handling this while we're handling this don't don't yell just calls him to get is it free speech am I allowed to say stuff well you have a freedom of speech but there's also something called breach of Peace okay I'd like to see you try try that buddy those people put hands on me I'm the victim so you want you want to turn it around on me I'm not turning it around please do so what I'm telling you is you guys are known to be the biggest pieces okay in in South Carolina what did I do wrong are you going to let me talk go on ahead what I was saying is I don't need you yelling while I'm trying to talk to this man that's going to cause him to yell cause a scene you get mad he's going to get mad than escalate okay just talk to this Deputy let me tell you something I'm allowed to say whatever the hell I want I want to to him because he came up and grabbed me and I want to call him a dummy for doing that I have every right to guess what if you yell across this parking lot while you have all these people standing around that is called breach of Peace you want to try that buddy I will lock you up you want to try that will you want to try that all right try not try it try it initially the officers appeared neutral taking statements and confirming details with Robert who insisted on pressing charges against the aggressive employee however the situation took another turn when Robert feeling threatened and frustrated raised his voice this prompted a police officer to caution him about breaching the peace complicating his position as a victim in the altercation hi Mr robt I spoke with the two gentlemen that came out and dealt with you all right all their information is going to be entered into the reporters well as your statement that you gave this St all right all right I made them aware that yes you can view video from a public area which the roadway is public but if you cross over into the I've checked the property lines I don't need directives the officers then conducted their investigation recognizing that Robert had the right to film from public areas but warned him against Crossing onto private property despite this the interaction between Robert and the police grew more strained you go on the property you're going to go to jail if you smoke crack that's not good man all right do I get a report or something you going to get you a oh great this guy here you go buddy all right my name badge number beside it and your case number as well you can get a copy of the report in 35 minut today have a good day thank you Robert's frustration was evident as he faced what he perceived as a misuse of Power by the police who seemed to ignore his rights as a victim after the confrontation Robert filed a formal complaint which led to an internal investigation how you doing sir how you doing sir uh not too good wow what's going on today buddy had some dude inside oh you're getting really close man oh yeah yeah I like to get close I like to talk to people can you stop sir I want to talk to you what's going on my friend stop getting so close to me dude what's going on man dude stop approaching me sir I I'm off dude give me some space dude give me some space no give me some help oh my God what the [ __ ] put your hand behind your back for what for what for you absolutely oh yeah very nice dude very nice enjoy the lawsuit enjoy paying for my camera too absolutely enjoy paying for my camera now you getting resisting arrest resisting I'm not moving no when I went to put my hands on you pulled away from me yeah because you have no right to arrest me I you're under arrest you have to write the attorney have sir you have to write the attorney have him or before any questions asked you decide any time to exercise these rights and not make any more statement do you understand these rights I don't answer any more questions without a lawyer a president absolutely this investigation exposed several policy violations by the officers involved highlighting issues of overreach and the need for better deescalation training in the end the city acknowledged the mishandling of the situation and the officer most directly involved resigned from his position Zade Atkinson Zade Atkinson a 26-year-old college student was outside his home in Boulder cleaning up the area when officer John Smiley a veteran of the Boulder Police approached him the officer noticing Zade sitting on his patio earlier questioned him about what he was doing citing no trespassing signs and querying if Zade lived there or was working as we continue our exploration don't forget to like share and subscribe to stay updated with our indepth discussions I couldn't help I notice you just sitting on the patio out there what's that I couldn't help but notice you sitting on the patio behind this building yeah yeah I just and there's signs for no trespassing private property that kind of thing yeah I wasn't sure what you doing doing if you lived here or you worked here it looks like you're working doing something picking stuff up okay gotcha what's the actual address then3 rapo okay what unit are you in I don't think I have to actually tell you that well I'm just checking to make sure that you have a right to be here that's all I just told you I lived here and I told you that I'm working as well okay shouldn't that be enough for you well I I got to verify it just so I know that that you do in fact live here offic Smiley wasn't convinced and began asking for more proof he wanted to know the exact address and the unit Zade lived in officer Smiley requested to see an ID to verify the address if you have an ID with your address on it that'd be great unbelievable man well we've had some stuff going on in this area I'm just doing my job just making sure you belong here and if you do then great and I'll be on my way y okay is z do you have anything with your address on it yo look man here why don't you why don't you follow me and I'll just leave the building dude just chill out man dude this is ridiculous I'm just asking you if you have something with your address on it then that that would help me no I don't how am I supposed to have something with my address on it well a lot of people have a driver car they just carry something with their address on it yeah an ID it's ridiculous bro yeah [Applause] so Mr s can I get your date of birth please why I just need to verify who you are that you belong here that you have a right to be here okay are you kidding me man can you have a seat please no no Mr ainson no no not I'm not 290 cook 12 can you please have a seat no put that down stop the situation escalated when officer Smiley pressed further asking if zard had anything else to prove his residency Zade annoyed suggested they go to his building so he could Buzz himself in Mr ainson right now you're obstructing a police officer which is a jailable offense I'm asking you one more time to sit down I'm not doing anything wrong and you're not going to arrest me you're not going to do anything cuz I live here and I didn't do anything wrong last chance sir what have a seat what sit down arrest right now I'm detaining you and investigating you for a trespass you're going to I live here sit down sit down this led to Smiley accusing him of obstructing a police officer a charge that could lead to jail you have a dangerous object in your hand and you're failing to put it down I'm picking up the trash put it down going you're being detained your hand is on your weapon and you're going to shoot me that's what you're going to do officer 290 we're still behind property for picking up trash that's what you're going to do officer sit down sir why don't you use your brain I asked you several times your intelligence are you going to kill me several times I've asked you on your weapon I threatened I threatened because you're not putting that down yes it is I have a I'm picking up trash put it down I told you many times to put it down TR and you're holding a gun put it down and you're holding a gun sir put it down and you're holding a gun as the confrontation grew Smiley drew his attention to the trash Grabber in zade's hand claiming it was a potential weapon you're not going to get away with murder you're not not today 290 it's going to be you're not going to get away with murder sit down not I'm not I'm not sitting down look I don't want this to go any further but you need to comply with my orders I don't have a weapon that's a weapon this is a bucket no that's a weapon right there this is a clamper for picking up garbage sir put it down I'm telling you I'm threatened by it it's not a weapon you're not threatened I'm threatened you have a gun that kills people how am I supposed to kill someone with sit down sir dude no keep that keep he's got his gun in his hand the sight of a gun escalated the fear and tension particularly for zad who knew he was being unfairly targeted he's got a gun sit down gun he's got a gun have a seat he's got a gun he's a gun just just relax what do you mean this is my property still giving verbal commands trying to get him to comply sit down and drop that object I don't have to sit down and drop it I'm on duty doing my work in my job and this officer comes over here drop the object just relax are you serious just relax look at them no I'm not doing anything have a seat drop it drop it drop it why do you all four of them look the police are telling you to do something do it you have a gun in your hand yes I do cuz you're not listening you have a gun you have a weapon drop the weapon drop it I don't have a weapon drop it now focus on what are you focus on me what do you mean Focus drop it six of you relax just drop it this is my property we're not going anywhere you need to drop it we I haven't confirmed that yet I told you I'm investigating a trespass you didn't give me your address 2333 I live in room 304 that's the first time have a seat threatening me on my property I live here I a resident the first thing you need to do is drop that item I'm picking up garbage from my door I go to school here drop it just drop it and sit here okay just drop don't tell me what to do you guys don't have a God right to be doing this to me sit down I'm a citizen of this country I pay my taxes I am a student and all of you have weapons drawn and I feel threatened sit down sit down and drop that object I will not sit down I refuse to sit down until you guys put your [ __ ] weapons away all right watch this watch put your God weapons away right there can we talk put your gun away zi standing firmly on his property felt cornered and threatened by the group of officers all of whom had their guns drawn he argued passionately declaring his rights and expressing his fear and frustration okay these these people in here told me that you are a resident oh wow what a we were trying to find out okay what surprise I gave him my ID okay and then he started and he started taking down my information telling me this that and the other thing and then I walk away and he pulls his taser out on Zade I'm listening to you and I just appreciate it you do so Zade if you were willing to sit down this would bring everything down a little bit I I I do not feel comfortable sitting down around a bunch [Applause] murderers okay so Z this guy was ready to kill me sir okay so Zade uh again I'm off oh you're just going to ignore what I just said though no I'm just trying to communicate okay that's adult man right okay so I think you can hear the fact that I'm just trying to be professional with you here and get some communication going so where we can get this resolved because I now found out who you are I found out you're a resident here I gave him my ID he knew who I was I said my name was Zade ainson I gave him my ID he asked me what the address was I said 2333 I said let me walk up to the door and beat myself into the building and he refused to let me walk to my house okay z i how is that okay why don't you get off my property what I'm trying to resolve why don't you get off my property and stop telling me what to do at my house how about that if you were willing to sit down with you car I'm not sitting down okay why don't you go home officer and why don't you guys go find some real criminals instead of wasting my goddamn time how about that I live here I you think this is a joke I live here you were ready to shoot me down and you didn't know a goddamn thing you're wasting all our resources I didn't point my gun you're wasting all our resources there's people out there actually committing crimes can I can I tell you feel can I tell you how you feel you're ready to jump out of your skin cuz you know youing made a dumb mistake today can I tell you something no I don't want to hear it I want you to get off why don't you talk to my partner I don't want to talk to any of you now I need to sit down fig my property and stop wasting my time that's not going to happen until I confirm who you are and what you're doing during this heated exchange another officer entered zade's building to verify his residency after confirming with the building management this officer returned informing Smiley and the others that Zade indeed lived there I saw him sitting here you need to tell me who the property sign maybe he wasn't really doing anything he's kind of Milling about then he come back down Mill him about come back down the said and then when I came into the alley he he stood up and I saw that he had that metal thing and it looked like he was kind of banging it like against against the so I wasn't sure if he was like trying to damage something or and then and then I addressed him and then he proceeded to to walk around here and I saw it was like a device for picking up trash and he was picking up trash so I contact him and just ask him hey can I let me chat with you I'm just checking to make sure that you have a right to be here and then he he initially talks to me don't I ask him why he's here and he says he lives here and works here and I ask him for the address and he turns and reads it off of the building okay um and he won't tell me his apartment number he gives me a like some kind of school ID but it doesn't have a date of birth so I ask him for his date of birth no at that point he refuses and he starts walk picks up the the that metal object and the bucket and walks away from me I just follow him at a distance until cover gets here okay he didn't show so we we confirmed that he lives here right no well he just did Parker just did he confirmed that he lives here according according to him he lives here he just provided a unit number finally I don't have a date of birth I don't know who he is okay in the aftermath Smiley faced with evidence of his overreaction was embarrassed and muted his body camera a move that further called into question the transparency and accountability expected of law enforcement all right so let's uh you got his uh information in terms of his name and all that I just have his name okay then uh give him his IDE back and we're out of here yeah cuz we already confirmed he's there and there gentleman here just said yeah he works here and lives lives here so okay yeah over there yeah I think he [Music] just this could have got me killed today apparently where's my bucket I'm going to get back to work clear why don't you guys go do some real work real police work huh that wraps up our exploration of the tense of respectful law enforcement interactions the cases not only highlight the challenges individuals face but also underscore Community Trust and police accountability now we'd love to hear from you in the comments below share your thoughts thanks for watching