Phillies Looking Into Whether Tasering Teen Was Misuse of Force

May 4, 2010— -- The Philadelphia Phillies are looking into whether or not Tasering a teenage fence-jumper Monday night was a fair play.

Steve Consalvi, 17, sprinted onto the field during the eighth inning of the game against the Cardinals as hapless security guards and police officers tried to catch him.

Consalvi was in mid-stride when an officer behind him aimed and fired a blast at the teenager, who promptly collapsed into the grass as if making a head-first slide. He laid still as the officers converged on him and boos rained down from the stands.

The teen's father told ABC News that his son looked back and saw an "old guy" chasing him, felt sorry for him and was about to stop when he got zapped.

Bonnie Clark of the Phillies told ABC News today that the team is speaking with the Philadelphia police about whether an officer used excessive force by using a Taser on 17-year-old Steve Consalvi.

"This is the first time that a Taser gun has been used by Philadelphia police to apprehend a field jumper," Clark said in a statement to ABC News.

The Philadelphia Police believe the officer acted appropriately when he tasered Consalvi, and the Philadelphia district attorney is standing by the officer as well.

"This is not raising any red flags for us," Tasha Jamerson, spokesperson for the Philadelphia district attorney told ABC News.

"The officers are highly trained, they don't just give out tasers to anybody. The district attorney absolutely supports the police department," Jamerson said.

The boy's father, Wayne Consalvi, said he got an unexpected phone call from his son during the game.

"He said dad, can I run on the field?" Consalvi told ABC News today. "I said no, I don't think you should; don't think you should do it, son."

According to Consalvi, his son wasn't drunk or on drugs. He simply claimed it would be a once in a lifetime experience.

Consalvi was worried his son was actually going to follow through on his plan, so the dad contacted a friend at the stadium telling him he thought his son might run out onto the field and that he needed help. Unfortunately his friend was seated in a different section of the game, and come the eighth inning the father's fear was realized.

Video of the incident shows Steve Consalvi running across the outfield in a red shirt, waving a towel while he darts between and past a group of security and police officers.

Consalvi makes a dash toward the left field stands as the crowd roars, an officer with the Philadelphia Police Department draws his taser and fires from several feet away, sending Consalvi to the ground face first.

"I do not think it was appropriate at all," Wayne Consalvi said. "He shouldn't have ran on the field, but tasering him like that was a little extreme."

Consalvi said his son would have to answer legally for running on the field, but the police were out of line with the tasering, especially because, according to Wayne Consalvi, his son was about to stop right as he was zapped.

"He actually said he turned around and saw this old guy chasing him. He felt bad for the guy. He slowed down to give up and that's when they tasered him," Consalvi said.

Tasered Phillies Fan Said He Was About to Give Up Before He Was Zapped

Consalvi said when you are watching the video you can actually see his son appear ready to dive onto the ground with his arms extended right before he was hit with the taser.

"He was about to dive on the ground," Consalvi said.

According to Jamerson, Consalvi was arraigned today and released on misdemeanor charges.

"He was an overzealous teen who jumped the fence," she said.

Consalvi has been charged with defiant trespass, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Wayne Consalvi said his son is physically fine following the tasering.

"He's a great kid, never been in any trouble. He's planning to go to Penn State next year," Consalvi said.

"He's been a Phillies fan for years, this is what he gets?" Consalvi joked.