Dionte Brown said he had arrived to the store on Long Beach Boulevard June 1 to help his wife, who was being accused of shoplifting a dress by the store owner.
The former Navy sailor said he identified himself to arriving officers and was simply asking what was going on when an officer called for backup. Brown said police ran in and went straight for him.
"The original officer that was there points to his colleague and says, 'Hey, he assaulted me,' no questions asked, they just ran in and grabbed me," Brown said. "That's when there was a big scuffle."
Brown, 26, said he resisted officers to avoid injury by a hard take-down.
"There was not fighting, scratching, biting, none of that. I just didn't want to take a face plant to the ground," Brown said.
Long Beach Police Department officials maintain that Brown assaulted one of the officers.
"I believe four officers were involved in the incident where they had to try to control him, he had refused to obey their orders and eventually an electronic-control device was used to take him into custody," said Sgt. Aaron Eaton of the LBPD.
Brown said he was hit with the stun gun about seven times.
Brown was charged with battery on a police officer and obstruction. He was released on $20,000 bail.
A friend of Brown captured the incident on video.
Long Beach officials said the case is being investigating internally.
Brown's wife was never arrested.
