False Drug Accusation: Black Man Tased at Dallas Airport

By Darius Spearman (africanelements)

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Initial Encounter: A Misunderstanding at Dallas Love Field incident?

Michael Singleton, an Oakland chef, found himself in a troubling situation at Dallas Love Field Airport in 2025. Dallas police officers approached him based on a serious accusation: drug possession. The encounter began because of a potential misunderstanding. Officers reportedly acted on a statement from another passenger mentioning “white powder,” leading them to suspect Singleton possessed cocaine (Black Man Tased at Dallas Airport Vows to Sue Police…). However, witnesses later claimed this statement was misheard.

Despite the initial suspicion, no drugs were found on Singleton. The basis for the police approach seemed questionable from the start. Yet, the interaction escalated rapidly. The Dallas Police Department later declined to comment specifically on the incident, citing a policy against responding directly to social media posts (Black Man Tased at Dallas Airport Vows to Sue Police…). This lack of clarification leaves many questions about why the situation unfolded as it did, particularly when the initial reason for contact proved unfounded.

Non-Resistance Met with Force: Black man tased at airport

The situation took a violent turn when officers deployed a Taser against Michael Singleton. Video evidence captured by bystanders shows a critical moment just before the tasing. Singleton appears to be standing still, with his hands placed behind his back (Dallas Police Under Fire After Tasing Non-Resisting Black Man…). This posture often indicates compliance or surrender, not active resistance. Bystanders reacted with shock, with one person clearly heard yelling, “He was just standing still!” (Black Man Falsely Accused Of Carrying Drugs Tased By Cops At Airport…). Consequently, the use of a Taser under these circumstances raises serious concerns.

Tasers are designed to incapacitate individuals by delivering electrical currents that disrupt muscle control (Taser – what is it and how do we use it? – Northamptonshire Police). Dallas Police Department policy allows officers to use Tasers when they perceive escalating resistance or face “imminent violence” (General-Orders.pdf – Dallas Police Department). However, witness accounts and video footage suggest Singleton was motionless and compliant immediately before being tased (Black Man Yells Out His Name to Bystanders as Cops Tackle and …). Therefore, the deployment of the Taser appears inconsistent with the department’s own guidelines requiring force to be proportional to the resistance encountered ([PDF] Use of Force Team Overview – City of Dallas).

Aftermath and Legal Action: Michael Singleton Lawsuit Planned

Following the incident, Michael Singleton was arrested and faced charges, including resisting arrest. In Texas, resisting arrest is defined as using force to obstruct an officer performing their duties. It is classified as a Class A misdemeanor (Resisting Arrest in Texas | Dallas Defense Lawyer). Such a charge can lead to up to a year in jail. Significantly, all charges against Singleton were eventually dropped.

His legal team stated that body camera footage clearly showed Singleton did not resist arrest, prompting authorities to dismiss the case (Video: Black Oakland Chef Tased, Detained In Dallas…). After the drug accusation failed, officers reportedly shifted focus to an old $500 speeding ticket warrant from five years prior to justify the arrest (Black Man Yells Out His Name to Bystanders as Cops Tackle and …). Furthermore, Singleton reported suffering lingering physical injuries from the tasing, including embedded Taser prongs and possible nerve damage (Black Man Tased at Dallas Airport Vows to Sue Police…). Nerve damage can cause numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness, potentially requiring months of recovery (How Nerves Recover After Trauma – Orlando Health). As of April 2025, Singleton announced his intention to sue the Dallas Police Department over the incident (Black Man Yells Out His Name to Bystanders as Cops Tackle and …).

Context of Dallas Airport Police Brutality: Racial Disparities Persist

Michael Singleton’s experience at Dallas Love Field doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It reflects broader, deeply concerning patterns of racial disparities within the Dallas policing system. Black residents in Dallas face disproportionate targeting for low-level offenses. For example, a 2023 report revealed that Black individuals accounted for 54% of arrests for citable Class A and B misdemeanors, despite making up only about 25% of the city’s population (“Dignity for Dallas” Report Urges Long-Overdue Reforms in Policing…). These offenses range from things like resisting arrest (Class A, punishable by up to a year in jail) to first-time DWI or minor marijuana possession (Class B, up to 180 days) (Dallas Misdemeanor Lawyers – Varghese Summersett).

The disparities are stark even regarding specific offenses. Despite policy changes aimed at decriminalization, Black residents comprised 69% of marijuana-related arrests in Dallas, while representing only 24% of the population (New Report: Low-Level Arrests in Dallas Are Decreasing, but …). Advocates argue these numbers point to systemic biases embedded in policing practices (New Report: Low-Level Arrests in Dallas Are Decreasing, but …). Moreover, the issue extends across Texas. Between 2013 and 2021, police in Texas killed 874 people; Black Texans were 2.3 times more likely to be killed by police than white residents during that period (Statistics Show That Texas Has Issues With Police Brutality). This context underscores the heightened risk Black individuals face during police encounters.

Rising Use of Force Amid Police False Drug Accusation Concerns

The tasing of Michael Singleton also aligns with another trend: an increase in the use of force by the Dallas Police Department. According to the department’s own definition, use-of-force incidents include physical restraint, the deployment of Tasers, or the use of firearms (When do police use force on the public? New analysis of Dallas …). The Dallas PD’s 2023 Police Force Analysis Report documented 2,080 such incidents. This number represents a significant 19% increase compared to the 1,751 incidents recorded just two years earlier in 2021 (Dallas PD – Police Force Analysis Report – 2023). Although most incidents involve physical force (around 75%), the overall rise is notable.

Tasers, like the one used on Singleton, are a specific component of these statistics. Data spanning from 2014 to 2019 showed that Tasers were involved in 12.2% of Dallas PD’s use-of-force incidents (Daunte Wright Case Highlights Challenge of Police Reaching for Stun…). While deadly force is restricted to situations involving imminent threats of death or serious injury ([PDF] Dallas Police Department Use of Deadly Force Policy), the increasing trend in overall force incidents, including Taser use, warrants scrutiny. Thus, incidents like Singleton’s, involving questionable circumstances and non-lethal weapons, contribute to these growing numbers and public concern.

Public Outcry Amplified by Video: Another Dallas Love Field Incident

The tasing of Michael Singleton quickly gained public attention, largely thanks to bystander videos shared online. Musician Lizzy Ashliegh captured footage of the encounter and shared it on Instagram (Video: Black Oakland Chef Tased, Detained In Dallas…). Her video included a poignant moment where Singleton, realizing the situation was escalating, pleaded with bystanders to record what was happening. This footage provided crucial visual evidence contradicting the official narrative of resistance.

As the videos went viral, public backlash grew. Social media users widely shared the story, emphasizing Singleton’s profession as a chef and his apparent lack of criminal history to counter the initial police accusations (The Way These Dallas Cops Handle This Black Man Minding His…). Indeed, the visual evidence of a man standing still being tased, combined with the context of the false drug claim, fueled calls for police accountability. This incident became another example highlighting the importance of citizen recording during police interactions, especially for Black individuals who face disproportionate scrutiny and force.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darius Spearman is a professor of Black Studies at San Diego City College, where he has been teaching since 2007. He is the author of several books, including Between The Color Lines: A History of African Americans on the California Frontier Through 1890. You can visit Darius online at africanelements.org.