A disturbing police station incident has sparked public outrage after a handcuffed woman was violently thrown to the ground by an officer, leaving her with a deep forehead gash that required seven stitches.
The incident began back in December, when Shawna McCree was arrested following a traffic stop. Officers suspected she was driving under the influence and transported her to the station for further testing. The situation, however, quickly escalated far beyond a routine DUI evaluation.
Officers Jacob Brian Cannon and Melissa Edmonds were assigned to escort McCree during processing. After arriving at the station, McCree became agitated, repeatedly insisting she was not under arrest and hurling insults at the officers. She was placed in a lobby chair, where she remained for about 20 minutes before being guided to the breath-testing area.
Once there, McCree demanded to use the restroom. Officer Edmonds explained that she would be allowed to go only after completing the tests. Despite her frustration, McCree cooperated with two breath tests — but the machine failed to produce any usable data.
That’s when everything spiraled.
Frustrated and emotionally overwhelmed, McCree refused to participate in additional testing. A tense confrontation followed between her and Officer Cannon. Moments later, Cannon used physical force so severe that McCree — handcuffed and unable to brace herself — was slammed to the floor, striking her head and suffering a serious injury.
What happened next raised even more questions.
Cannon called for medical assistance but falsely claimed that McCree was “attempting to escape,” using that statement to justify the force used. The footage quickly contradicted his story.
Following an internal investigation, Officer Cannon was sentenced to six months in prison, along with two years of probation, marking a rare case of an officer facing jail time for excessive force inside a police facility.
The incident has left the public divided. Some argue the punishment is too light for the level of violence inflicted on a restrained woman. Others say McCree’s combative behavior contributed to the chaos — though critics point out that nothing justifies throwing a handcuffed person headfirst into the floor.
The case continues to fuel debate about police accountability, use of force, and how officers handle noncompliant but restrained individuals.
What do you think — was six months behind bars enough?
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