Video shows teen in handcuffs; man tased by officer in Upland

UPLAND, Pa. - Video shows a screaming 16-year-old girl in handcuffs and on the ground in Upland. Seconds later, just feet away a man was tased by police, according to the video.

The teen says she was being disrespectful to police, but she says she had good reason. She claims the cops cursed, used a racial slur, and then handcuffed her.

"I was really terrified. Honestly, it was probably the scariest thing to ever happen to me," Noelena Clement told FOX 29's Jennifer Joyce.

Clement, a junior at Chester High School, says it happened as she was walking home from school.

"I honestly thought I was gonna lose my life for crossing the street," Clement explained.

It was around 2:45 p.m. Wednesday afternoon when Clement and her friend attempted to cross a very busy Upland Avenue near West 24th Street. An officer happened to be standing at that intersection and approached them.

"He told us to get out of the street and I told him I’m crossing the street so I can’t get out of the street," Clement said. 

What was going to be a mere traffic citation for blocking traffic escalated, according to the teen. Clement says she got disrespectful because the officers were cursing and claims they used a racial slur.

The Upland Borough police chief disputes that. He says his officers did not use any foul language. He also says that Clement became combative.

One man who lives nearby saw the commotion. He got involved and defended the teen.

"You’re gonna arrest her? Arrest me instead," he is heard saying in the video.

The man is then tased and arrested. You can hear Clement's screams throughout the video.

"Devastated, I thought I was gonna lose my child how he had her on the floor," her mom, Damika Clement, said.