Community activists are marching at 6 p.m. to call for an expedited investigation into a police officer's use of a Taser on a Hartford teen last week.
Activist Cornell Lewis will begin the rally at the corner of Albany Avenue and Main Street, and he plans to walk into the Hartford Police Department with a manifesto of sorts.
Lewis wants the charges against 18-year-old Luis Anglero Jr.--the teen who was tasered by Detective Shawn Ware on Aug. 19--dropped.
"That was unsettling to people but also it looked like excessive force by the police," said Lewis.
Hartford Police recently released the "use of force report" for the Taser usage, and deemed the "force was justified and in compliance with department policy and procedure."
In reality, the policy is inherently subjective.
Police provided FOX CT a copy last week and the policy says "to use only that amount of force that reasonably appears necessary to effect an arrest, to control a situation, or to defend themselves or a third person from harm."
Anglero's mother and community activists have said they do not believe the use of force was reasonable or necessary.
She has filed an official complaint with police and retained an attorney.
Witnesses believe Detective Ware tasered Anglero repeatedly for up to 40 seconds, but the report, which was digitally downloaded from the Taser itself, matches prior police statements that the Taser was only active for a burst of five seconds.
FOX CT showed that report to Lewis, asking whether he agreed with its determination that force was justified.
"No I don't agree with this report. There's no justification for what happened. From what we saw on the video, the young man had stopped and he did not appear to be advancing. So what justification do you have for tasseling a young man who has his hands down near his side?" said Lewis.
The rally comes after Rabbi Donna Berman of the Charter Oak Cultural Center held a meeting Monday with Lewis, religious leaders and community organizers. They're demanding the arrest of Detective Ware and public hearings on the matter.
In a phone call Wednesday afternoon, Anglero's mother, Maryann Yearwood, said her son will "never be the same."
She did not indicate whether she would attend the 6 p.m. rally, and referred further questions to her attorney.
Yearwood did say she's filed an official complaint with police.
Lewis, meanwhile, says the surveillance video of the Taser usage is clear cut and speaks for itself.
"I don't think that the police can sell this and certainly the people in the community are not going to buy it and that's why we're having this rally and this march."
Police did not respond to FOX CT's request for comment about the rally or offer an update on the investigation.
The mayor's office reiterated that the case remains under intense investigation.