An Alabama high school band director was arrested in Birmingham after refusing to comply with police orders to stop his band’s performance. The incident occurred on Thursday night following a football game between Minor High School and Jackson-Olin High School.
According to Birmingham Police Officer Truman Fitzgerald, police were attempting to clear the stadium at Jackson-Olin after the game and requested both bands to cease playing to prevent people from lingering. While the Jackson-Olin band complied, the Minor High School band director allegedly disregarded the officers’ instructions and instructed his students to continue playing.
Police officers, accompanied by school security guards, approached the band director to arrest him for disorderly conduct. However, a scuffle ensued when he resisted arrest, refusing to place his hands behind his back and allegedly shoving an officer. As a result, one of the officers deployed a stun gun to subdue the band director.
Paramedics provided medical treatment at the scene before transporting the band director to a hospital for further evaluation. He was subsequently booked into jail and later released on bail.
Jefferson County School Superintendent Walter Gonsoulin stated that he is currently gathering facts regarding the incident and declined to comment further at this time. The Birmingham Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division will investigate the use of force during the arrest, as is standard procedure.
