Cops Taze Man at Richards Fireworks Show

A Chicago Ridge man and his brother were charged on various counts of resisting arrest, obstruction of justice, battery and possession of fireworks during a tussle with police over a Megabanger Green Heaven firework on July 4, reports said.

Mahmoud R. Sheikh, 31, of the 7100 block of West 99th Street in Chicago Ridge, was charged with two counts each of battery and resisting arrest, criminal damage to property and possession of fireworks.

His brother, Mohamed Shaikh, 41, of the 5800 block of West 89th Place in Oak Lawn, was charged with obstruction of justice in which police said Mohamed tried to interfere with their investigation of Mahmoud.

Mahmoud was also Tazed by cops who claim that the man resisted arrest, reports said.

A 25-year-old Oak Lawn police officer was injured trying to hold back a crowd of Mahmoud Sheikh’s relatives, according to police.

Oak Lawn detectives were patrolling the area of 106th Street and Central Avenue during the fireworks show at Richards High School around 9:20 p.m. when they saw several people standing along the curb on the 10600 block of South Central Avenue on the Chicago Ridge side of the street.

The detectives said a kid lit a firework, which shot in the air over the crowd at Richards across Central Avenue.

Mahmoud was bent down and about to light another firework—a Megbanger Green Heaven—police said.

According to police, Mahmoud swore at them and told them to take the fireworks because he didn’t care.

Detectives asked Mahmoud to “take a walk” to the Oak Lawn side of Central Avenue. Several people from the group—including Mahmoud’s brothers, Mohamed and Ahmad— followed the cops as they walked Mahmoud across the street, reports said.

Police said that Mahmoud’s brothers ignored repeated requests to “stay on the Chicago Ridge side.”

While detectives were attempting to keep relatives and friends away from Mahmoud during their field interview, police said that Mohamed tried to block detectives from talking to his brother.

Police said that Mahmoud “continued to act of control” as detectives lectured him on the dangers of lighting fireworks in a large crowd.

Mahmoud then approached a detective in an “aggressive manner” and “got in his face.” Another detective pushed Mahmoud away to keep him from the other cop, police said.

Police said that Mahmoud hit a detective in the chest while cops were trying to handcuff him. Detectives took Mahmoud to the ground where they continued to struggle with him.

Mahmoud’s family and friends ran across Central and surrounded police. Mahmoud was pulling on a detective’s bullet-resistant vest as the detective tried to radio for help, police said.

During the struggle, the detective’s cell phone fell out of his pocket that was eventually returned to him by Ahmad.

Mahmoud continued to struggle, so a detective shot him in the lower back with the Taser, police said.

Police said Mohamed continued to ignore cops’ commands to back off the detectives and his brother, and he was also taken into custody.

Mahmoud told police that when they initially observed him bent over the firework, he was trying to move it away from his family for their safety and protection, where they were watching the fireworks from the parkway.

The brothers are scheduled to appear in court on August 10.