Pa. mayor: Officer who fired stun gun at unarmed black man will not be fired or suspended

LANCASTER, Pa. — A Lancaster police officer who

, city Mayor Danene Sorace said.

An investigation into the incident which was captured in a now-viral video is ongoing, but Officer Philip Bernot was justified in the use of force based on current Taser policies, Sorace said during a news conference Friday afternoon.

Sorace previously issued a statement through the City of Lancaster's PA Government Facebook page saying "Like you, when I saw the video, I was upset by it."

However, changes are coming, the mayor said, and a new policy will allow an officer to use a Taser only if he is faced with "direct physical confrontation."

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Sean Williams, a 27-year-old Lancaster resident, was shocked by the police office last week.

Officers encountered Williams after responding to a call of a man with a bat who was chasing people in Lancaster on June 28.

A viral Facebook video shows Williams being stunned by police, who was not responding to orders according to a police report.

The video shows an officer repeatedly ordering Williams to extend his legs as he sits on a curb. Williams began to straighten his legs when another voice can be heard telling him to cross them.

As Williams starts to cross his legs, Bernot fires the stun gun.

Williams has filed a federal lawsuit, claiming excessive force, racial profiling and inadequate medical care. He is seeking  $75,000 in damages.

Contributing: Geoff Morrow, York Daily Record; The Associated Press

Follow Candy Woodall on Twitter: @candynotcandace 

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