News

Police say officers acted appropriately in violent arrest

By , Published: July 7, 2021

Hendersonville police said Wednesday they believe officers acted appropriately when they tased and struck a city man while responding to a reported disturbance at an apartment complex last week.

Officers on Friday, July 2, charged Christopher Michael Dratz, 40, of Hendersonville with felony breaking and entering to terrorize/injure, felony kidnapping, and assault on a government official. Dratz received medical treatment for injuries he received during his arrest and was later transported to the Henderson County Detention Center where he was placed under a $52,000 secured bond, the city said in a news release.
The police department, as with all use of force incidents, is carefully reviewing the officers’ actions in the incident. Based on body camera footage of the incident, police say it appears the officers used an appropriate level of force in countering Dratz’s aggression. At no point during this incident was Dratz ever struck by an officer while handcuffed in any way as was previously alleged, the news release.
“Police use of force never looks good,” said Hendersonville Police Chief Blair Myhand. “However, I can confidently say that the officers acted with considerable restraint, poise, and professionalism throughout this entire incident. And, while it is unfortunate that Mr. Dratz was injured, I am more thankful that no one else was hurt because of his actions.”
The incident began at 7:45 a.m. on July 2 when officers responded to a reported disturbance at an apartment complex in Hendersonville.
The first officer to arrive found Dratz had forced his way into an 85-year-old neighbor’s apartment. The officer asked the intruder to leave the apartment multiple times, but he refused, according to the press release.
The officer made repeated attempts to deescalate the situation, but when Dratz prevented the elderly tenant from leaving his own apartment, the officer attempted to take Dratz into custody, according to the press release.
Dratz immediately resisted and violently attacked the officer. During the ensuing struggle, the officer tried to tase Dratz without effect. To create distance between himself and the suspect, the officer struck the suspect in the head with his taser multiple times causing lacerations that required medical treatment, according to the press release.
A second officer arrived and successfully deployed a taser that immediately incapacitated Dratz. Both officers were then able to handcuff Dratz and secure the scene until EMS arrived. Henderson County EMS transported Dratz to the hospital for evaluation and treatment for his injuries before he was jailed.