By Adam Studzinski

BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington Police Chief Brendan Heffner added some context Monday to a photo posted online of a 10-year-old boy in handcuffs.

Heffner told WJBC’s Sam Wood police received a call from a church near 811 W. Washington St. for a report of juvenile who had attempted rob the church. When police tried to speak with the boy, a 16-year-old escalated the situation.

“The person that we had come to initially speak with, the 10-year-old, just ran from the scene,” said Heffner. “Ran across Washington Street, not looking either direction. Anyone who goes down Washington knows that’s kind of a busy street. Obviously, we were concerned.”

Heffner explained an officer located the 10-year-old and drove him back to the scene. Heffner admitted the picture does not look good, but added his officers also have a duty to keep people safe. He said the boy was released to his parent.

Heffer said there was part of this situation which an officer was wrong about. An officer had told some people near the scene they could not record what was happening.

“The person, and I’m not gonna say who it was, was requesting not to be video taped. And I think the officer, in his passion, kind of forgot about the law and just felt that since the person didn’t want to be video taped, he just told them not to video tape,” He said.

Heffer said citizens are allowed to record video from a safe distance.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].