On September 19, 2009, I took these photos of a homeless man on the corner of Main and 9th Streets in Chico. He was tackled and then arrested by Chico police. According to the police, he was standing on the sidewalk “shouting and scaring people.”  He was made to lie face down on the sidewalk while they handcuffed him. It was obvious to me the man had mental health problems. Did the cops have to be so rough? I thought, he was lucky though. If he’d been a black person there’s a good chance he could have been shot and killed. They finally got the man into the backseat of the police car. I saw him there, our eyes met. He looked resigned to his fate. I’ve always wondered what happened to him.

Chico police try to subdue a homeless man. Note taser gun.

A bystander tries to help the police. Note cop’s arm on the man’s neck.