Calgary police say suspect in new arrest video went for officer's Taser

Calgary police say a video of an arrest at the Stampede Wednesday involved a suspect who was "heavily intoxicated" and attempted to grab an officer's Taser.

Police responded to the Nashville North tent just before 10 p.m. after reports of a man stealing other people's drinks and refusing to leave.

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As several officers attempted to remove the man, police say he grabbed hold of an officer's duty belt and onto the handle of a Taser.

Ashton Rice, who shot and posted the video to Twitter, said the incident escalated quickly.

"Four cops grabbed him. They were pulling him out from inside the tent. His friend was watching. They started kneeing him. From what I could tell he was very drunk but he wasn't trying to fight back," Rice told CBC News.

"They just kept on kneeing him and punching him in the face while he already on the ground in the puddle. People were yelling at them to stop. One cop in the cowboy hat just kept kneeing him, kneeing him, kneeing him."

Man facing several charges

Rice said he didn't see any of what led to the arrest. 

The 23-year-old man from England is facing several charges relating to the incident.

It comes days after a violent altercation between police and a driver in front of a 17th Avenue S.W. restaurant Friday evening.

In that case, a witness told CBC News it appeared the force used against a man in his 60s was excessive.

Both incidents are under review.

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