Colorado police have defended their decision to pepper spray a tantrum-throwing 8-year-old boy after he threw a violent fit in his classroom and threatened people with a sharp weapon.
The 8-year-old Aiden had been threatening, spitting and cursing at teachers in his second grade classroom in Lakewood, on February, 22 when schools officials called the police. Police said that when they arrived, Aiden was wielding a sharp piece of wood trim that he had torn off the wall and was trying to stab teachers with it.
"I wanted to make something sharp if they came out because I was so mad at them," Aiden later told Colorado's KUSA television. "I was going to try to whack them with it." When the cops asked him to drop the stick, he refused, and shouted, "Get away from me you f---ers." police said. The officer then sprayed the boy with two doses of pepper spray to bring him under control, and handcuffed him.
Aiden's mom, Mandy, said that the boy had anger troubles and that the incident was the third time that teachers had to call the cops. Police spokesman Steve Davis defended the action of the police. Speaking to KUSA, Davis said, "Our officers had to do something to diffuse the situation in a hurry before someone got hurt." He added, "I think the officers made a great choice that day in choosing the pepper spray."
Mandy said that her son was treated like "a common criminal." She tod KUSA, "I'm sure what he was doing wasn't right, but he's 8 years old." She said that the boy was later transferred to a school with behavior problems, and had been seeing a doctor since.
"I got like anger things," Aiden said. "It's just who I am. I think it's not ever going to go away."
