Ryan adjusted his uniform.
He appeared uncomfortable with the way the situation was developing.
RYAN: "The son approached me aggressively. I gave him several warnings."
Laura looked at Daniel.
SERGEANT BENNETT: "Did you approach the officer?"
DANIEL: "I walked outside because he was holding my father by his shirt. I asked what was happening."
SERGEANT BENNETT: "Did you touch him first?"
DANIEL: "No. I raised my hands and asked him to let my father go."
Ryan immediately interrupted.
RYAN: "That's not true."
Laura raised one hand.
SERGEANT BENNETT: "One person speaks at a time."
Daniel stopped talking.
Laura looked at Ryan.
SERGEANT BENNETT: "You will have your turn."
She then turned toward the older woman.
SERGEANT BENNETT: "Ma'am, did you witness the beginning of this incident?"
The woman nodded.
WOMAN: "Yes. I was near the front doorway."
SERGEANT BENNETT: "Can you tell me what you saw?"
The woman took a breath.
She looked toward Samuel before answering.
WOMAN: "I saw Officer Hale holding Samuel by the front of his shirt. He was pulling him toward himself."
Laura listened without interrupting.
WOMAN: "Samuel looked frightened. He wasn't fighting. Then Daniel came out of the house and asked why the officer was holding his father."
Ryan shook his head.
RYAN: "You didn't see everything."
The woman turned toward him.
WOMAN: "I saw enough to know that Samuel was scared."
Laura looked at Ryan.
SERGEANT BENNETT: "Let her finish."
The woman continued.
WOMAN: "Daniel had his hands up. He wasn't running toward the officer or trying to hit him. He was asking questions."
Laura glanced at Daniel.
DANIEL: "That's exactly what happened."
The sergeant looked toward the street.
She noticed that the arriving police SUV had a dashboard camera and an external recording system.
She turned toward Ethan.
SERGEANT BENNETT: "Has anyone requested medical assistance?"
ETHAN: "Not yet. Samuel says his knee hurts."
SERGEANT BENNETT: "Call for medical assistance. I also want the incident documented."
Ethan reached for his radio.
ETHAN: "Dispatch, this is Officer Miller. We need medical assistance at our current location. Elderly male with a possible knee injury following a fall."
A brief response came through the radio.
Ethan confirmed the location.
Laura then turned toward Daniel.
SERGEANT BENNETT: "Are you experiencing any pain?"
Daniel looked down at his arms.
DANIEL: "My shoulder hurts. My back too."
SERGEANT BENNETT: "Do you need medical attention?"
DANIEL: "I want someone to check my father first. He's older than me. He's the one who fell."
Laura nodded.
SERGEANT BENNETT: "We'll make sure both of you are checked."
Daniel slowly stepped away from the pickup truck.
He straightened his back and rolled his shoulders carefully.
His navy-blue shirt was wrinkled.
He looked toward Samuel again.
DANIEL: "Dad, I'm coming over."
Samuel lifted one hand.
SAMUEL: "I'm alright, son."
But Daniel could see that his father was still struggling.
He wanted to walk toward him immediately, but Ethan was helping Samuel remain in a stable position.
Laura turned toward Ryan.
SERGEANT BENNETT: "Officer Hale, I need you to give me your account of what happened from the beginning. Do not leave anything out."
Ryan stood beside the pickup truck.
His face was serious.
RYAN: "I was conducting a routine investigation. I approached Samuel and asked him some questions."
SERGEANT BENNETT: "What questions?"
RYAN: "I needed to establish some information."
SERGEANT BENNETT: "What information?"
Ryan paused.
He looked toward Samuel.
Then toward Daniel.
RYAN: "The conversation became difficult."
Laura crossed her arms.
SERGEANT BENNETT: "That doesn't answer my question."
RYAN: "Samuel wasn't cooperating."
Samuel looked up.
SAMUEL: "I was answering you."
Ryan turned toward him.
RYAN: "You were being difficult."
SERGEANT BENNETT: "Officer Hale."
Ryan stopped speaking.
Laura's expression remained firm.
SERGEANT BENNETT: "You need to explain why you physically held an elderly resident by his shirt."
Ryan took a breath.
RYAN: "He was moving around, and I needed to keep him in place."
SAMUEL: "I wasn't moving anywhere."
The elderly man's voice was quiet.
But everyone heard him.
Samuel looked directly at Laura.
SAMUEL: "I was standing outside my house. I asked him what he wanted. He grabbed my shirt."
Laura nodded slowly.
SERGEANT BENNETT: "Alright, Mr. Brooks. We'll document your statement."
Ryan looked increasingly uncomfortable.
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
Laura noticed the movement.
SERGEANT BENNETT: "Did you activate your body camera?"
Ryan did not answer immediately.
Laura repeated the question.
SERGEANT BENNETT: "Officer Hale, was your body camera recording?"
RYAN: "I believe so."