An Arizona cop faces criminal charges of assault for allegedly hitting a suspected shoplifter more than 100 times after reportedly catching him trying to steal pants from Walmart.
Officer Tim Baiardi, a 19-year veteran with the Phoenix Police Department, allegedly assaulted homeless man Roger Moran, 22, after he resisted arrest on December 8, 2018.
It is claimed that Baiardi struck Moran more than 100 times as he struggled to overpower him and place him in handcuffs. Even after Moran was finally restrained, Baiardi allegedly slapped him.
Moran’s bleary mugshot reveals bloody cuts and bruises on his face.
Baiardi was off duty at the time and was moonlighting as a security guard when he saw Moran allegedly trying to steal multiple pairs of pants from the Phoenix Walmart.
According to court documents seen by ABC15, Moran resisted arrest in three instances and even tried to grab the officer’s testicles.
A report written by a different responding officer says Baiardi hit Moran 23 times in the face with his knee and struck him 45 times with a closed fist after Moran tried escape again. When he tried to run a third time, it is claimed he punched him an additional 23 times.
After Moran was in handcuffs, Baiardi walked him into the store’s loss prevention room.
ABC15 said they had seen surveillance footage which showed that once inside that room, Baiardi placed Moran on a bench and slapped him so hard Moran fell off the bench and his eyes rolled to the back of his head.
The Phoenix Police Department said that following the allegations Baiardi has been assigned to his home.
Officials have launched an internal investigation.
Baiardi is also a member of the Phoenix Police Law Enforcement Association, the union which represents rank-and-file police officers and has been suspended following the allegations.
‘PLEA is aware of the allegations against our board member and, pending the outcome of the investigation, his duties as a member of PLEA’s Board of Trustees have been suspended,’ PLEA president Britt London said in a statement.
‘As is our practice, we will not comment on the specifics of the investigation. Throughout this process, PLEA will remain committed to its mission of promoting the positive role of the police profession and protecting the rights of its members. We would like to remind the public that police officers are entitled to due process and that they are entitled to the same presumption of innocence afforded to every citizen,’ the statement added.
Walmart also released a statement saying they condemn the violence.
‘Customer and associate safety is a responsibility we take seriously. One of Walmart’s core values is respect for the individual and we expect each associate and all third-party workers to act with respect for others and the law,’ the statement said.
Maricopa County Attorney’s office forwarded the case, recommending the officer be charged with aggravated assault, which is a class six felony.
Prosecutors are still in the process of making that decision, according to ABC15.
The officer is yet to comment on the investigation.