ROCKINGHAM, N.C. — A Charlotte father wants charges against him to be dropped after he said he was wrongfully tased by deputies while he was at his son's football game.
Stephen Sings Sr. traveled to Rockingham, North Carolina on Friday to watch his son play in a high school football playoff game. His son plays for Vance High School.
Sings' other son tried getting in the game but was arrested at the gate, allegedly for disorderly conduct.
In a Facebook live stream, Sings walked up to Richmond County deputies to ask why.
"Now, can you explain to me why you locked my son up though? What did he do wrong?" Sings asked.
"I want to know. I don't have anything to say to you," a deputy responded.
Then the deputy asked Sings multiple times to put his hands behind his back.
"Put your hands behind your back," said the deputy.
"Man, I don't have to put nothing behind my back," Sings responded.
Things escalated and the video showed at least one deputy tasing Sings to the ground. Multiple deputies tried to contain Sings as he was on the ground.
"All he did was ask a question," said John Barnett II, a Charlotte-area civil rights activist who supports Sings.
"He didn't threaten the officer, he didn't swing at the officer, he didn't curse the officer out. He asked two simple questions which was the same question: Why did my son get arrested?" Barnett said.
Sings was released on bond but charged with disorderly conduct, assaulting a government official, and injury to personal property. He wants the charges dropped.
"He said he put his hand behind his back and then they tased him in his back," Barnett said.
Vance High School football players plan to show their support at their next game, wearing a sticker on their helmets that have a "stop tasing" sign on it with a special message for Sings.
"And on that will be Stephen's initials, S.K.S," said Barnett.
NBC Charlotte reached out to the Richmond County Sheriff's Office but have not heard back yet.
Barnett said one of the deputies seen in the Facebook video was placed on administrative leave, but the department didn't say which one.