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THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT — [UPDATED 2, Dec. 15, 2011, see below] A trans woman standing still, outside of her vehicle, with her hands held high in the air is tazered in the abdomen. Shortly after she fell to the ground, tazered in the crotch. That’s what the video shows. The fact of the matter is law enforcement isn’t supposed to use tazers unless there is an apparent danger to them. The victim, Brooke Fantelli, clearly appeared to be fully co-operating with the two Bureau of Land Management rangers.

While the events leading up to the tazering remain to be fully confirmed, Fantelli was in the desert by El Centro participating in a photo shoot just prior to being approached by the rangers. Some reports are saying she was shot after the rangers discovered she is transgender.

While the BLM is saying the ranger “targeted appropriately” (aiming for large body mass in lower part of body), they have not commented whether the shooting was appropriate.

In my opinion the BLM has a PR nightmare on their hands — the subject had no weapons, hands high in the air, co-operating fully and CAPTURED ON VIDEO. They ought to fest up to the procedure blunder and fire the ranger and settle this out of court pronto!

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UPDATE Dec. 9, 2010. From KSWT-TV News:

“Fantelli’s attorney, Dana L. Douglas, says her client was at a photo shoot with some friends at a field in Ocotillo Wells. Douglas says the rangers were watching Fantelli and her friends for an hour from inside their patrolling vehicle. Fantelli then approached the rangers and told them they were making her friends feel uncomfortable. This is when the rangers got out of their car and tased Fantelli causing her to fall on her back. Although Fantelli has not been formally charged because the BLM has not filed a report, she attended a court hearing for allegedly resisting arrest, among other allegations. Fantelli’s attorney says the allegations are false. Douglas says the rangers acted in a discriminatory manner.” http://www.kswt.com/story/16230654/transgender-person-appears-in-court-after-being-tased-by-blm-ranger UPDATE 2: More details from the victim, charges from the BLM have yet to be filed: http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=35200

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View the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_4PkC8XH7k&feature=player_embedded

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Categories: Discrimination, Equality, Civil Rights, Transgender, Transsexual, Trans