Alabama high school band director Johnny Mims was tased and arrested after he failed to stop his group from playing after a high school football game, according to police. He’s charged with disorderly conduct, harassment and resisting arrest.
Mims is the band director at Minor High School in the Birmingham suburb of Adamsville, and last Thursday night following the football game between Minor and Jackson-Olin High School, police were allegedly trying to get the stadium cleared and instructed both band directors to stop the bands from playing so spectators wouldn’t linger.
Police Say Band Leader Ignored Request
Police say the Jackson-Olin band stopped performing, but Mims disregarded officers and told his students to keep playing.
Police officers, allegedly accompanied by school security guards, went to arrest Mims for disorderly conduct but he got into a scuffle with them when he refused to place his hands behind his back and shoved an officer. One of the officers shocked Mims with a stun gun.
“Minor’s band director did not comply with multiple officers’ requests to stop his band from performing, [instead] he instructed his band to continue performing,” Birmingham Police Officer Truman Fitzgerald, a department spokesperson, said in a statement.
“A BPD sergeant was among the officers who attempted to get the band director to stop his band from performing. During the officers’ interaction with the Minor’s band director, the decision was made to place him in custody.
“BPD officers attempted to take the band director into custody for disorderly conduct when a physical altercation ensued between the band director, Birmingham City Schools System security personnel and BPD officers.”
Adults Acting Up At Kids Game
After the arrest, Birmingham Fire and Rescue personnel treated Mims at the stadium and BPD later took him to a nearby hospital as part of standard protocol.
When Mims was discharged from the hospital he was taken to Birmingham City Jail where he was booked in and then bonded out.
Jefferson County School Superintendent Walter Gonsoulin declined to comment on the incident last Friday, as he is in the fact-finding process.
“I urge everyone not to jump to conclusions,” Gonsoulin said.
Because a stun gun was used, BPD’s Internal Affairs Division will conduct an investigation.
We don’t know what caused Mims to allegedly disobey the police directive to stop playing or whether it was necessary to use a stun gun in this situation.
But in an environment where kids are supposed to be the main focus, poor adult behavior takes center stage.