South Carolina Man Used Baby As Human Shield

A South Carolina man is behind bars on various charges after authorities claim that he used his eight-month-old baby as a human shield while resisting arrest on an unrelated incident. The Times and Democrat reports that 28-year-old Jasper Louis Clark II was confronted by authorities in Orangeburg after responding to calls that he was involved in a fight at an area apartment complex. Witnesses claim that the man had brandished a firearm before fleeing from the apartment complex. When police confronted the man, things went from bad to worse.

Two Orangeburg police officers ordered the man to exit his vehicle, but when they pulled their sidearms on him, he behaved in a way that has left them shocked. The South Carolina man reportedly turned away from them — still not exiting his vehicle — and pointed himself toward the backseat. When he turned back around he had his 8-month-old child in his arms.

Fortunately, none of the officers shot at the man as he held his baby in an apparent attempt to use it as a shield. However, they rushed the vehicle and removed the infant from his arms before arresting the man. It was after this incident that they were able to connect him to the crime of which he was originally accused of committing (brandishing a firearm during a fight).

The South Carolina man has been charged with child neglect — a crime that can carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison if he is convicted. Social services took the child and returned him to his mother’s custody.

As crazy as it sounds, this is not the first time a baby has been used as a human shield by a less-than-responsible parent. Back in 2012, a Texas woman was caught shoplifting at a Walmart store, but when authorities tried to intervene, she held her baby up as a human shield. In another case, a dad out of San Pedro was arrested after he had his child with him during a high speed chase with police. When the chase turned into a violent shootout, the man used his 5-month-old son as a shield. This year a British man used his 6-week-old daughter as a human shield when police tried to use a taser on him during an arrest. The man was heavily intoxicated and had tried to stab the police who responded to calls reporting a domestic disturbance. The man was jailed for two years because of the incident.

[Photo: Orangeburg Police mugshot]