A photo posted to Facebook nearly five years ago is adding fresh fuel to debate over an incident in a St. Paul skyway that left a man tasered and arrested by police.
The image of the seating area was posted Sept. 22, 2009, by the Facebook page of First National Bank Building in St. Paul. It was rediscovered over the weekend by online commenters drawn to the image and its caption. The photo shows a wide hallway with a handful of blue-cushioned chairs and tables to one side. The caption on the photo reads: "Need a quick five? Enjoy a seat on the skyway."
Whether the seating area is public or private is key because a call to police about a man sitting there earlier this year culminated with Chris V. Lollie being tased and arrested by St. Paul police.
On Saturday, the five-year-old Facebook photo began to attract attention, with a series of posts mocking the caption with comments such as, "Invited to have a seat except for Chris Lollie apparently (?)" and "But you'll be tazered on the 6th!"
Lollie, who filmed his arrest and then uploaded the video to YouTube last week, said he was waiting to pick up his children from a nearby preschool Jan. 31 when a security guard tried to kick him out of a First National Bank lounge in downtown St. Paul.
After police were called and Lollie left the area, the video shows one and then another St. Paul police officer following him through the skyway. The incident culminates with Lollie being zapped with a Taser and arrested.
Titled "Black man taken to jail for sitting in public area," the video has become a viral sensation online with nationwide media coverage. Lollie, 28, is black. At least two of the arresting officers shown in the video are white. A third is not seen in the video, which has been viewed more than 850,000 times on YouTube.
Lollie was charged with trespassing, disorderly conduct and obstructing the legal process in the incident. Those charges were dropped in July, and his phone was returned to him July 31.
