Police: Greenport man tazered, hit with pepper spray after attempting to take officer’s gun during struggle

Southold Police say they used an electric stun gun and pepper spray to subdue a Greenport man who tried to grab a patrolman’s handgun during a struggle with officers attempting to arrest him for placing a restaurant owner in a headlock and punching him Thursday afternoon.

Police said Donald Beckley, 57 of Main Street was causing a disturbance at a Main Street, Greenport eatery at close to 3:45 p.m.  and when the proprietor tried to get him to leave Beckley reportedly put the man in a headlock, punched him and threatened to stab him with a pen. Police reported finding Mr. Beckley a short distance away and said he violently resisted arrest.

During a struggle Mr. Beckley succeeded in undoing the snap on an officer’s holster and attempted to pull out the weapon, according to police. He was handcuffed after police hit him with a tazer and pepper spray in his face and then taken to Eastern Long Island Hospital to have his eyes flushed.

Mr. Beckley was held overnight awaiting arraignment on charges of menacing, resisting arrest, attempted grand larceny and harassment, police said.