Guadalupe County prosecutors have declined one criminal charge against Zekee Rayford, an 18-year-old who was kicked and shocked outside his home by Schertz police during an arrest caught on camera in early November.
Rayford, who was arrested on Nov. 2 after police attempted to pull him over for allegedly running a red light, was charged with possession of marijuana, evading arrest with a vehicle, evading arrest and resisting arrest, Guadalupe County records show.
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Prosecutors will not pursue the marijuana charge against him due to how the evidence was obtained, Guadalupe County Attorney David Willborn told KSAT on Monday. Officers did not have consent to search the car and conducted the search before they had the legal authority to do so, he said.
The other three charges against Rayford are still pending. Willborn declined to comment on those.
What we do and don’t know about Zekee Rayford’s arrest by Schertz police
Officers said Rayford ran a red light off Schertz Parkway and did not pull over until he got to his home minutes away on Keanna Place.
He stood in his driveway with his hands in the air as police pointed their service weapons at him. Then he quickly moved to the home’s front door, knocking on the door to call for his dad. Rayford was tackled and stunned by Officers Danielle Apgar, Frank Chavarria and Megan Fennesy before he was handcuffed and taken into custody.
The three officers have been reassigned from patrol duty pending the outcome of an internal investigation into their conduct.
Rayford’s attorney, Tess House, called for an investigation into “any and all cases they have touched, both in the past and that are pending.”
After initially declining open records requests for body camera footage of Zekee Rayford’s arrest, the City of Schertz released multiple videos of the incident on Wednesday evening, showing what led up to the incident and officers’ interactions with Rayford after he was taken into custody.
“It should shock the conscience to see footage like that,” House said.
Mayor Ralph Gutierrez issued a comment with the release of the footage:
“I fully understand the concerns and public outcry brought about from this incident. The City of Schertz is an inclusive community and one that celebrates all of our residents. My hope is that in every interaction with the City, residents feel respected, valued, and understood. Throughout every situation the City is deeply committed to doing what’s right and at this time, the right thing to do is be as transparent as we can, which is why we are releasing this footage.”