The Cincinnati Police Department says an officer responding to a shoplifting report deployed a Taser when one of the alleged shoplifters ignored commands to stop.
The juvenile is identified as an 11-year-old girl.
In a statement, Cincinnati Police say the officer was working an outside detail at a grocery store Monday investigating several female girls allegedly stealing items. The officer told of one the girls to stop but she ignored him and continued walking away. He then deployed his Taser, striking her in the back.
The girl is charged with theft and obstructing official business and is expected to appear in court "in the near future," the statement says.
She was evaluated at Children's Hospital and released into her parent's custody, it adds.
"We are extremely concerned when force is used by one of our officers on a child of this age," Police Chief Eliot Isaac says in the statement. "As a result we will be taking a very thorough review of our policies as it relates to using force on juveniles as well as the propriety of the officers actions."
The department says the officer involved has been placed on restricted duty while there is an investigation.
