MASON CITY – The recent fireworks show that came to Mason City drew big crowds, and a Mason City woman who attended now says that there was trouble when she shot video of a PGI security guard allegedly body-slamming a spectator.
The PGI fireworks show was in Mason City from August 9 through Friday, August 15. Deeann Kite says that she attended on one of those evenings, and as she was shooting video of the show, she also shot video of an altercation between a male spectator and a PGI security guard.
Deeann says that ever since then, PGI has been after her and making threats against her to delete that video in fear of what she says is “bad publicity.” She says PGI finally backed off once she consulted a lawyer.
In Deeann’s own words:
I am posting this video of a man being body slammed by PGI security when they had their convention in Mason City at the North Iowa Event Center because they put me through hell about it until the convention was over. This man was irate and yelling at a PGI official. The official was calling for security on his two way radio. As the security people began to arrive, someone said “he’s got a gun” twice. I was recording the fireworks show and turned my camera towards the incident. My thought was if I’m going to die by a stray bullet, I want people to see. I recorded the incident until a lady from PGI asked me to turn off the camera, which I did. A few minutes after the incident was over, an official from PGI came over and told me to delete the video from my phone and he wanted to watch me delete it to make sure it was gone. But he ended up going to attend to something else and we left. For the rest of the week I was harassed and threatened with their attorneys as they wanted me to come back to the event center and delete the video in front of them. These threats were made several times a day. After the last threat they threatened to sic their attorneys on me to retrieve my phone from me so they could delete the video themselves I called my attorney who said they’d need to get a search warrant and that was unlikely to happen. Finally on the last day of the convention I agreed to come over and talk to them. I had the full intention of facing them and telling them to get a search warrant. When they were told my attorney wanted to be present for the meeting, they backed off and said “we just don’t want any bad publicity”. They had told me they were searching websites such as YouTube and Facebook for the video. And it better not show up. I didn’t have any intention of posting the video because I just didn’t see any reason to. But after thinking about it and seeing the excessive mess they left behind at the event center including at least one abandoned Winnebago that someone rented in Des Moines and the health issues they caused me to have during those 5 days, (I almost ended up in the E. R. Because of breathing issues as I am 100% oxygen dependent), I have decided to go ahead and post it. I still don’t know the reason they wanted it deleted so badly. (By the way PGI, this would have never been made public had you not made such a fuss and caused me to go into several episodes of not being able to breathe). You knew I was handicapped and yet you continued to harass and upset me. You could have killed me! So here it is.
PGI security body slams unruly subject at Convention in Mason City, Ia:
httpv://youtu.be/FvsciVH_7Qs
Search warrant? Who do they think would get the search warrant? Read the 4th Amendment.
Sad but true, that’s the whole point. I never understood hat the big deal was either until I found out later that the guy that was thrown to the ground went into an epilepic seizure as soon as he hit the ground. Maybe they were afraid he’d sue them or something.
I watched the video 3 times? I see nothing?
The incident is right at the beginning. I had trouble seeing it at first, but it is most definitely there. The guy got slammed.
First and foremost the fairgrounds IS public ground you had every right to record. You should’ve left the camera rolling. Secondly, search warrant? HA you DO NOT have to delete ANYTHING. Remember that. Sounds like a bunch of dam bullies who were threatening you with RUBBISH! As long as you are not interfering with official acts or you’re not on private property DO NOT EVER delete your videos! You did the right thing bringing this video to NIT.
In fact, I highly suggest that if you continue to have trouble with these bullies make sure you document/ continue to contact Matt at NIT that way it is in the media eye.