Johnny Mims, the band director at Minor High School in Alabama, expressed his astonishment and confusion over the incident in which he was tased by police for refusing to halt his band’s performance. According to Mims, he and the director of Jackson-Olin High School had arranged a “5th Quarter” performance, a customary practice where both bands play as the crowd leaves the stadium after a football game. When approached by the police, Mims informed them that the current song would be their final performance. Suddenly, he found himself being tased and subsequently tased two more times by different officers. The experience left him shocked and bewildered, with the vivid memory of his students screaming and parents crying.
The police asserted that they asked both directors to cease playing, but while the director from Jackson-Olin complied, Mims persisted. Body camera footage released by the Birmingham Police Department depicted an escalating confrontation, culminating in Mims being tased and subsequently arrested. Mims denied the police claim that he swung at an officer. After the incident, he sought medical attention and is currently monitoring his health. The Internal Affairs Division of the Birmingham Police Department is investigating the matter, and Jefferson County Schools has placed Mims on administrative leave, following standard protocol. State Rep. Juandalynn Givan, who is also Mims’ attorney, is advocating for the suspension of the involved officers.