After three people were arrested at Tysons Corner Center last Thursday, Fairfax County police released surveillance footage from inside the Virginia store to dispute a social media post that claims one of the arrested people was slammed to the ground.
Police said it all happened on Thursday, April 25 when 22-year-old Molly Helmer of Annandale was caught shoplifting at the Spencer’s store. An officer responded and issued her a summons for a future court date.
Police say Helmer was leaving with a group of friends when 19-year-old Lia Chen of Annadale threw her water bottle and dumped her drink all over the floor as police stood by in plain clothes.
Steve Bun, 27, of Fairfax, Virginia, was one of the three people arrested for disorderly conduct that day. According to his Facebook post, he witnessed Chen’s arrest and began to record from outside the store.
Chen was approached by an officer and she began screaming and acting disorderly before being taken back to the store, police said in a Tuesday news release. Chen attempted to break free.
Police said they tried to gain control of her and keep her from hurting herself or others and “she was taken to the ground by the arresting officer and finally handcuffed.”
Bun’s Facebook post claims police were “manhandling” Chen before “slamming her face first into the ground.”
Chen was issued a summons for disorderly conduct and obstruction of justice and was banned from Tysons Corner Center for a year.
Police said Bun approached officers aggressively, cursing at them and interfering with the police investigation, resulting in his arrest for disorderly conduct.
Bun’s Facebook post claims he was rammed into a brick wall outside of the store, breaking his Apple Watch and injuring his hand.
Bun was taken to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center and was released on a $2,000 bond.
