The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is getting involved and conducting an outside review of an arrest of a Dallas man after video from the event has shown up online amid an ongoing lawsuit over excessive force during an arrest that sent the suspect to the hospital.
In a release on Friday afternoon, the Paulding County Sheriffs Office noted that Sheriff Gary Gulledge called in the GBI to look at the incident that happened on March 4, 2022. Per the release, the department asserts that Deputy Michael McMaster was responding to a report of a suspicious person.
That person was reported to have tried to break into a vehicle, and was wearing a hoodie and carrying a backpack.
Tyler Lee Canaris was later charged with a single count of obstruction of law enforcement officers and booked into the Paulding County Jail last May for just a few hours. The charge is a misdemeanor.
The Sheriffs Office said in the release that Canaris was found walking along the roadside (which is seen in a video that has been posted online and already viewed thousands of times) matching the description law enforcement were given. In the video posted on YouTube on Thursday, the events match that description from the dashcam.
“Deputy McMaster then approached Mr. Canaris who repeatedly refused to comply with the Deputy’s commands to remove his backpack and place his hands behind his back,” the release stated.
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT IS INCLUDED IN THIS VIDEO BELOW
The video – which does begin as the deputy’s vehicle is arriving on the scene – instead shows Canaris walking along the roadside in the dark with the hoodie, but holding a phone and ostensibly wearing earbuds and listening to music while Deputy McMaster approaches him several times and says “let me see your hands” before Canaris can hear him.
Deputy McMaster immediately goes to detain him and orders him to take his backpack off, while Canaris simply asks “what have I done?”
As the video continues, Canaris is pushed toward the police cruiser and closer to the dash cam, his phone is taken from his hand and placed on the hood, and the officer explains that he is being detained because he matches the description of someone trying to break into cars.
Canaris removes his hands from the hood one last time, and the deputy is seen grabbing Canaris in a bear hug, pulling him into the air and then slamming him down on the pavement.
According to comments found with the YouTube video, Canaris suffered from a fractured clavicle and skull due to the incident. He wasn’t charged until more than two months after the incident occurred since he was taken to the hospital for treatment by the Sheriff’s Office.
He’s heard screaming in pain after being injured and cuffed during the 3 minute clip and telling officers “I was just going to work. Help me!”
Paulding Today has reached out to the GBI for further comment. Check back for more as it becomes available. Additionally, this news outlet has not yet verified that the lawsuit has been filed, but did find documents pertaining to discovery of evidence and a witness list, along with a magistrate court filing over the obstruction charge.
Here’s the full release from the Sheriff’s Office:
Paulding County Sheriff Gary Gulledge has sought the assistance of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to conduct an outside review of a March 4, 2022 arrest and use of force. That review is now underway.
The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office will be fully cooperating with all requests and inquiries from the GBI.
At approximately 6:00 AM on March 4, 2022, Deputy Michael McMaster of the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a suspicious person, who was wearing a hoodie and a backpack, attempting to break into a vehicle in the Evans Mill Subdivision.
A short time later, Deputy McMaster arrived at the location and observed Tyler Lee Canaris (W/M, 30 YOA) walking along the roadside at the entrance to the subdivision. Mr. Canaris, who was wearing a hoodie and a backpack, appeared to match the description of the suspect that was provided by dispatch.
Deputy McMaster then approached Mr. Canaris who repeatedly refused to comply with the Deputy’s commands to remove his backpack and place his hands behind his back.
Thereafter, Deputy McMaster used force to bring Mr. Canaris to the ground and placed him under arrest. Once arrested, Mr. Canaris was evaluated on the scene by medical personnel.
Mr. Canaris was then transported to the hospital by the Sheriff’s Office for medical evaluation.
