LIMA, OH — A pedestrian suffered numerous injuries following a confrontation with police officers who violently demanded his identity.

Tyler Paxson, 19, says that on July 12th, 2014, Lima police officers took an interest in him and would not leave him alone until he produced an identification.

The young man took objection to being demanded to produce ID, thinking that Americans enjoyed the freedom to walk around without having to show documentation to government agents for no reason.

Greg Sowinski described the events at LimaOhio.com:

Paxson said he stopped by a friend’s house when officers in the area, responding to a call he was not connected to, approached him. “The officer started immediately harassing me and saying what are you doing? What is your name?” Paxson said. Paxson said the officer was yelling at him. “I don’t really like talking to the police in the first place,” Paxson said. “I looked at the officer and said, ‘I’m an American citizen and I haven’t done anything wrong.’ I said, ‘I have all rights to walk away.’” Paxson said he then tried to walk away. “As soon as I went to walk down the step he grabbed my arm and ripped me off the step and slammed me to the ground,” Paxson said. The officer pulled Paxson up and then slammed him into a building, Paxson said. Other officers arrived. “The first officer who came around the building immediately began beating me in the eye with a fist,” he said. “He ran up and attacked the hell out of me.”

Mr. Paxson fell unconscious during the beating and suffered multiple injuries, including a battered face as shown in the above photograph. He was arrested and dealt a litany of charges, including assault on an officer, false identity, obstructing official business, public intoxication, underage consumption, and resisting arrest. Paxson denies resisting officers and has filed a complaint against the Lima Police Department for using excessive force.