Last week, police in Arkansas apprehended a man who had pierced his son’s ear, leading him to face felony charges.
A video of the incident circulated on TikTok, showing four officers from the Tontitown Police Department pushing their way into the man’s home and forcing Jeremy Sherland, 45, up against the wall, while his wife and son reacted with shock.
In the footage, one of the officers ordered him to submit to their commands with the words “Because I said.” Sherland was then handcuffed and his wife asked for the charges against him.
He responded with a sarcastic chuckle, saying “Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha” eleven times, before being led away by the officers. His wife can be heard exclaiming, “Piercing his son’s ear without a license,” while his son simply stated, “I wanted my ears pierced.”
The incident occurred on Thursday, April 20 and Sherland was released on a $1,500 bond the following Saturday. He was set to face arraignment on May 22.
The Tontitown Police Department issued a press release stating an officer was contacted by a Springdale Police School Resource Officer about the boy’s ear piercing. According to the release, the juvenile male present in class said his dad was intoxicated and put him in a choke hold before pushing the piercing into his ear.
However, Sherland’s son countered this by stating, “Nah, I asked for it and so we just took ice and a potato and did it that way.” The officers then obtained a warrant before arresting Sherland due to the Natural State statute which makes it illegal to perform body art on a minor without parental consent, except when it comes to earlobe piercings.
Sherland was charged with one count each of endangering the welfare of a minor, refusing to submit to arrest, and obstructing governmental operations.