A man was arrested after Lincoln police say he stepped in front of a police cruiser near 12th and “O” Street around 2:45 Tuesday morning. Sergeant Chris Vollmer says Tyre Merritt made a gesture with his fingers as if he was pointing a gun at the cruiser.
He says the officer got out and asked Merritt why he had stopped in the street. “Merritt lunged toward the officer as he attempted to back away. The officer deployed his Taser, but it was ineffective.”
Vollmer says Merritt ran and the officer gave chase. Merritt ran to the Southeast Community College’s downtown building where he was Tased a second time and arrested for resisting arrest.
SCC spokesman Stu Osterthun says the man entered an elevator lobby from the alley. “The elevator lobbies are always unlocked because they are technically considered a part of the parking garage, which is run by the city.”
He says the SCC areas were locked and the man never gained entry or set off the alarm.