CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — The video of an arrest by police officers in Harrison County has been the subject of controversy since Friday, but Clarksburg Police Chief Robbie Hilliard said Wednesday he has complete faith in the actions of his officers and the Harrison County Sheriff’s deputy involved in the arrest.
“Initially from the video, I couldn’t figure out why everyone was in such of an uproar,” Chief Hilliard said. “There was a subject who was combative with officers.”
The video shows police arresting Robert Shane Marsh, 52, of Clarksburg, who had several outstanding warrants for arrest after making threats towards a postal worker and the customers and management team at the Route 19 in Go-Mart. At one point in the video, Marsh appears to be on the ground when an officer strikes him.
A Harrison County Sheriff’s Deputy spotted Marsh in the heavily-crowded Emily Drive area and called for back-up. When Marsh left the scene, they initiated a traffic stop in the less populated Pet Supplies Plus parking lot. Hilliard said Marsh complied with the traffic stop, but that Marsh resisted the officer’s orders when they said he was under arrest.
“The Sheriff’s Department Officer made contact, and he waited,” Hilliard said. “Knowing the subject’s history and the possibility of what his state of mind was, he waited until other officers got in the area before he attempted to even approach the subject on his own.”
Marsh was wanted in connection with an incident earlier on July 8 as well as on June 7. Earlier that day, Marsh allegedly had threatened to kill three employees at the Go-Mart on Route 19.
On June 7, Police say Marsh threatened a postal worker and a resident who were having a conversation on Verdun Street–allegedly telling both men “he would come back and blow both of your heads off.”
Marsh also has an extensive criminal history including convictions for illegal drug use and illegal possession of firearms.
Hilliard said no one should not rush to judgment based on the video of the incident, which occurred just before noon on July 8. He said Marsh was resisting arrest despite the attempts of an officer who had been using a taser.
“The struggle went on, and Mr. Marsh continued to resist the officer that was trying to effect the arrest,” he said. “One officer took Mr. Marsh down to the ground. They tried to get control of his arms, and he kept reaching toward the knife that he had clipped onto his belt. Also had one around his neck on a shoelace.”
Chief Hilliard said officers found 14 knives and a can of mace on Marsh once they had subdued him.
“He made several attempts to get to those weapons, and the officers backed off that point and deployed the taser,” he said. “The taser did strike Mr. Marsh, and it was effective while the taser was being applied. But as soon as the taser stopped it’s five second cycle, Mr. Marsh continued to be combative and not comply with the officers. A second cycle was applied.”
“Officers witnessed these bladed knives and Mr. Marsh attempting to get to these weapons. That’s when officers used what force was necessary to gain his compliance to get him under control.”
Chief Hilliard added that he welcomes a review from any other agency that wishes to get involved, but said all officers involved “did nothing wrong.”
“As far as I am concerned this case is closed unless Mr. Marsh wants to come forward and file a formal complaint on officers,” Chief Hilliard said.
Marsh is charged with two counts of assault in connection to the alleged June 7 incident with the postal worker and resident on Verdun Street; one count of making a terroristic threat in connection with the alleged GoMart incident; and four counts of resisting arrest and one count of failure to provide fingerprints in connection with the alleged incident near Pet Supplies Plus.