No Charges After Video Shows Tuscaloosa County Commissioner Handcuffed At Elementary School

TUSCALOOSA, AL — A video circulating on social media appears to show District 4 County Commissioner Reginald Murray being handcuffed during an altercation with a Tuscaloosa Police officer Tuesday morning at a local school.

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The incident captured on video reportedly occurred during an event at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary.

A Tuscaloosa City Schools spokesperson declined to comment on the incident and referred all questions to the Tuscaloosa Police Department.

TPD provided an update Tuesday afternoon, saying it was aware of an incident that occurred during a school awards program at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School earlier in the day.

"Per school policy, all external doors of the school are locked once programs begin," TPD spokeswoman Stephanie Taylor said. "Several people were able to enter the lobby when another person exited. One of those individuals then began knocking on the locked door to the auditorium where the program was taking place. A TPD officer inside the auditorium cracked the door and informed him that he could not enter."

She then said the man — Murray, as seen on the video — continued to knock on the glass window of the auditorium door.

"The officer then stepped out into the lobby to remove him from the school property," she said. "The individual was not compliant and actively resisted the officer. During the course of the incident, the officer followed standard de-escalation protocols, which included multiple verbal warnings and the display of a Taser. The Taser was not deployed."

TPD says the officer followed standard procedures to ensure the safety and order of the school environment.

Murray, who has served on the County Commission since 1996, was not charged following the incident.

This is a developing story. Tuscaloosa Patch will have more information as it becomes available.