VISTA, Calif. (AP) — A San Diego County sheriff's official has apologized to the family of a man with Down syndrome who was struck and pepper-sprayed by a deputy.
KGTV-TV (http://bit.ly/SVNtgH ) says 21-year-old Antonio Martinez was left with bruises after Tuesday night's confrontation near the family's Vista bakery.
Sheriff's Capt. Joe Rodi says deputies were looking for a possible domestic violence suspect when they saw Martinez walk by and cover his head with a sweatshirt hood.
Rodi says a deputy thought Martinez was trying to conceal his identity and when Martinez refused to stop, he used pepper spray and then hit him with a baton several times. Martinez was handcuffed on the ground.
Rodi told the family the confrontation was a mistake and a deputy drove Martinez to the hospital.
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Information from: KGTV-TV, http://www.10news.com/index.html
