Deaf teen tased by deputy because he couldn't hear command

Friday, October 25, 2019
Lafollette, Tennessee (WPVI) -- A deaf teenager was tased by a sheriff's deputy because he couldn't hear the officer's command to stop.

Brett Elkins was tased, fell to the ground and lost his expensive cochlear implant.
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He was at his friend's house when it happened.


As he was leaving, police arrived to respond to a domestic dispute between his friends.

His mom says after his implant fell out, they couldn't find it anywhere.
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Police say they didn't know Brett was deaf when he failed to respond to their commands.

They are getting him a new device, which runs about $8,000.

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