A University of Central Florida student was pepper-sprayed, tased, and arrested after a confrontation with campus police escalated when the student repeatedly demanded officers use specific pronouns during the altercation. Bodycam footage from the February 5, 2025 incident shows the violent clash that resulted in battery and resisting arrest charges.
Campus Disturbance Spirals Into Violent Arrest
Police responded to reports of a verbal altercation between a student and several juveniles inside a campus building. When officers arrived, the blue-haired student immediately became combative, yelling at the responding officer about why the juveniles were allowed on campus. The officer warned the student to calm down or face being taken to a Baker Act facility, which handles mental health crises. The student responded by shouting profanities and challenging the officer.
When the officer called for backup, stating the student was having a breakdown, the confrontation took a sharp turn. The student immediately objected to the officer’s pronoun usage, screaming for the officer to use different pronouns. As police attempted to place the student in handcuffs, the pronoun dispute intensified. Even as an officer warned about deploying pepper spray, the student prioritized correcting the officer’s language, pausing mid-resistance to say “thank you” when the officer complied.
Student Requests Administrator Intervene on Pronouns
During the physical struggle, the student called out to a nearby university administrator named Josh, pleading for help. Rather than requesting assistance to de-escalate the violent confrontation, the student specifically asked the administrator to tell officers to use correct pronouns, stating it was causing distress. The bodycam footage shows officers wrestling the student to the ground as resistance continued. Officers eventually deployed both pepper spray and a taser before successfully handcuffing the student.
According to police reports, the student threw a closed fist, grabbed an officer’s microphone, and kicked an officer during the altercation. University police charged the student with battery on a law enforcement officer, disorderly conduct, and resisting an officer with violence. The student pleaded not guilty to all charges, and Orange County records indicate the cases have been closed.
Student No Longer Enrolled at University
A UCF spokesperson confirmed the student was enrolled during spring 2025 but is no longer attending the university and did not graduate. The spokesperson did not provide additional details about the student’s departure from the school. The viral bodycam footage has sparked debate about how law enforcement should handle pronoun requests during emergency situations and whether such demands should take priority during active police encounters involving physical resistance.