Morganton officers use Taser on man who allegedly grabbed them during domestic call

MORGANTON, N.C. — Public safety officials in Morganton said they will review body camera video of an arrest after officers deployed a stun gun on a man during a domestic call Wednesday morning.

Eyewitness News reporter Dave Faherty learned the domestic call escalated after officers arrived at the scene on Hoyle Street.

[RELATED: CMPD uses Taser to arrest machete-armed suspect in east Charlotte]

When a Channel 9 crew arrived, public safety officers had Joseph Tremer in handcuffs.

Officials said they deployed a stun gun after Tremer began grabbing them.

“Oh, a domestic. He told me I needed to do something and I’m on my own property and it’s his rules," said Tremer.

He couldn't believe an officer used a Taser on him in his front yard.

“This is what happens with the law. They take their sh** too far,” he said.

Stun guns are currently used by thousands of law enforcement agencies nationwide.

Officers told Faherty that every officer with Morganton Public Safety is equipped with a stun gun and undergoes extensive training on when to use the law enforcement tool to prevent from being hurt.

Morganton public safety  officers showed Channel 9 a Taser similar to the one used on Tremer.

[RELATED: Taser used on 11-year-old girl accused of shoplifting from Kroger, police say]

Police said the stun guns are used to overcome resistance when someone becomes aggressive while making an arrest. They can also be used in self-defense, or in defense of another person.

Officers in Morganton have been issued stun guns since 2006, but said they are rarely used during calls.

Morganton Public Safety Capt. Jason Whisnant said, “Considering our citizen contacts are 50,000 a year, our use of force is less than 1/10th of 1 percent. So it is very low.”

Tremer, who was not hurt by the Taser, faces two counts of assaulting a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest.

He was also given 15 days of jail time for contempt after repeatedly cursing in front of a the magistrate.

Officials said the officers were not injured.

Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com:

• Abducted Rutherford Co. teen found alive 900 miles away; suspect arrested
• 'We are absolutely devastated': Authorities ID body as kidnapped Lumberton teen
• Possible absentee 'irregularities' examined in 9th Congressional District race
• WATCH: Keith Monday's Thursday forecast outlook
• Panthers' Eric Reid says he's being excessively drug tested by NFL​​​​​​​

Cox Media Group