Former SEPTA Transit Police Officer, Floyd Whitaker, Charged For Alleged Excessive Use Of Force After He Repeatedly Tased Man In April
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A former SEPTA Transit Police Officer has been charged for an incident that happened in April of 2021, the transportation company announced on Monday. Floyd Whitaker, 59, has been charged with simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and other charges for alleged excessive use of a taser on a man who was verbally threatening SEPTA employees and refusing to leave a bus.
Whitaker, who was with SEPTA for 24 years, was placed on administrative duty following the incident on April 12. He turned himself into SEPTA Transit Police Monday on an arrest warrant that was issued late last week.
The incident occurred at 4:20 a.m. on April 12. Whitaker responded to a call at the Frankford Transportation Center for a man who was verbally threatening SEPTA employees and refusing to leave a bus. The man was not armed and there weren't any physical altercations, according to a release.
Investigators say Whitaker's first tase brought the man to the floor. He then repeatedly tased the man after he was down, which investigators determined was an excessive use of force.
The man was transported to the hospital for treatment following the incident, which is standard for whenever a SEPTA Transit Police deploys a taser. The victim didn't sustain any life-threatening injures.
