Teen hit with Taser while waiting for Air Jordans

HOUSTON -- Chaotic crowds continued Sunday morning searching for a chance to get the coveted new Air Jordans.

At the Woodlands Mall around 9 a.m., witnesses said a Montgomery County Sheriff's deputy fired a Taser at a 17-year-old girl, caught in the commotion. They described the move as "excessive" and said the deputy used the Taser as a "scare tactic" to get people back in a formal line.

"It got rowdy about some shoes. They asked us to back up. We easily backed up and the girl turned around. He pulled out his Taser and shot her," said witness Carlos Harrell.

Eyewitness News spoke with the Coldspring High School student. Family did not want her identified.

She said all of a sudden heard what sounded like a firecracker, felt a pulse, and started running. In a photo she provided to ABC13, she said the Taser's prong ended up in her backside. She also said she was simply trying to move away when, without warning, the deputy fired the weapon.

"When I turned around I heard this pop noise and the next thing you know there was a Taser inside my butt," she said. "My sister came behind me and said, 'you've been tased you've been tased' and she grabbed me," she said. "Tears just crying out my eyes. I'm just like, 'Oh my God.'"

Cellphone video provided by witnesses show a rowdy situation. You can hear one person yell, "They hit her in the butt."

Family said paramedics checked the 17-year-old on-scene. They also took here to a Memorial Hermann to be evaluated after the incident. The young woman's mother said displaying Tasers were too much and that deputies "could have found a better way" to control the crowd.

Lt. Brady Fitzgerald with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office responded to our request about the use of force. Lt. Fitzgerald confirmed a Taser was used Sunday morning. He said around 4 a.m. the Sheriff's Office received a 911 call from the Woodlands Mall. Staff said there was an unruly crowd consisting of several hundred people, prompting the large presence of law enforcement.

Per Sheriff Office policy, Lt. Fitzgerald could not comment or offer Eyewitness News specifics about the Taser. He stated as in customary every use of force incident, it is reviewed by the agency. Since it is an "active investigation," authorities with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office would not comment about where the Taser was appropriate.

Crowds were out Sunday morning for tickets to purchase the Air Jordan 11 Retro Legend Blue sneakers. The sneakers cost about $200 and will be released next Saturday. But in order to get the sneakers then, shoppers had to line up Sunday.