Sadly, as multiple cases show, being deaf in America while interacting with police can lead to your arrest, assault, or
even your death. A deaf, mute man in San Diego just learned this the hard way.
The man, whose name has not been released, was in a thrift shop attempting to sell some shoes when he noticed a traffic enforcement officer writing him a ticket for being illegally parked. Likely knowing that he couldn't afford a ticket, he ran outside to plead with the officer.
"He couldn't speak, so he was communicating via a legal pad we had. As he was writing something to ask us, he saw that he was going to get a ticket," said Tiara Arreloa, the employee at the shop in which the man was attempting to sell the shoes.
However, when he approached the traffic officer, things quickly escalated. As he attempted to communicate with the officer, she appeared to fail to understand him, according to witnesses.
"Maybe because he could not speak and he was trying to communicate so he was making some muddled noises," said Arreloa. "So maybe she thought he was intoxicated."
Whatever she thought, ended up with the officer pepper spraying the deaf man in the face. The man was in so much agony that people nearby began coming to his aid.
Comment: Another symptom of the current political schizophrenia: The Muzzies Are Coming! Adopt a Refugee!