Cop 'In A Rage' Allegedly Rips Woman's Hair From Scalp During Altercation At Bar

Newburyport News
Aug. 09, 2012

SALISBURY — Witnesses said Methuen police officer Shawn Tardif was "in a rage" when he grabbed a 25-year-old woman attending a bachelorette party, forced her to the floor and then dragged her by the hair in a bar brawl Saturday night.

It took two security guards to get Tardif off the woman and Tardif punched one of the guards in the mouth, according to a Salisbury police report.

The woman allegedly assaulted, identified as Nicole Morrison, showed police a "clump of hair" Tardif allegedly ripped from her scalp during the 11:20 p.m. altercation at the Surfside 5 bar and restaurant at 23 Broadway, the police report said.

[...]Morrison told Leavitt she was grabbed from behind by the neck, ripped to the ground "and pulled from side to side while being dragged by her hair and she showed me a clump of hair in her hand," he wrote. Morrison also said she got her bracelet tangled in Tardif's glasses and one of her earrings was ripped out.

Two security guards jumped in to break it up and Tardif punched one of them in the face, witnesses told Leavitt.

"During this altercation, it was reported that Tardif was dragging Morrison across the dance floor and was described as being 'in a rage,'" Leavitt wrote.

[...]As he was booked, Leavitt said Tardif told him he "was reacting to his wife getting grabbed" and denied any other wrongdoing and damaging the DJ equipment. He also said he wanted to file charges against Morrison because his glasses and gold chain were broken, Leavitt wrote in his report.

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