A routine call took an unexpected and unfortunate turn Wednesday afternoon when an officer’s split-second decision led to a serious — and completely avoidable — mistake.
According to police officials, Officer Dylan Marks, a three-year veteran of the department, responded to what was reported as a “suspicious person” wandering behind a row of closed shops. Upon arrival, Marks saw a man rummaging through a trash bin and, believing he might be attempting a break-in, gave loud commands for the individual to step away.
The man turned — confused, startled, and holding nothing but a small plastic bag. Within seconds, Marks drew his taser, mistakenly thinking the man was reaching for a weapon.
The taser fired.
The man collapsed.
And Marks immediately realized he had made a terrible mistake.
Body-camera footage later confirmed that the “suspicious person” was actually Elias Turner, the building’s nighttime maintenance worker, who had been taking out garbage as part of his routine shift. He had not been told police were called, nor had he been in any danger.
Paramedics treated Turner, who thankfully suffered only minor injuries. But the damage — both emotional and professional — was already done.
Officer Marks radioed in the error himself, and the department placed him on administrative leave within the hour. In a press briefing, the police chief called the incident “deeply troubling” and acknowledged that “miscommunication and assumption led to an unnecessary use of force.”
Turner expressed frustration but remained composed.
“I was doing my job,” he said. “I shouldn’t have to worry about being shocked for taking out trash.”
The department has since opened an internal investigation and promised immediate retraining on threat assessment and de-escalation.
For Officer Marks, the consequences are still unfolding. And for the community, the incident serves as a reminder of how quickly things can go wrong — and how critical it is for law enforcement to slow down, assess, and think clearly before acting.
