GBI investigating use-of-force incident by Paulding County Sheriff's deputy

PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. - The GBI is looking into an arrest and use of force incident by a Paulding County Sheriff's deputy.

Dash camera video of the incident is circulating on the internet. It shows the deputy throwing a man on the ground. Sheriff's officials say when that video surfaced, they called in the GBI to take a closer look at it.

Paulding County Sheriff's officials confirmed to FOX5 News, the video circulating on the internet is the dash camera video from Deputy Michael McMaster's car from March 4, 2022.

It was 6:00 in the morning, the deputy was responding to a call of a suspicious person breaking into cars at the Evans Mill subdivision.

"When deputies responded to that area they made contact with a person matching the description," said Paulding County Sheriff's Sgt. Ashley Henson.

The video shows Paulding County Sheriff's Deputy McMaster approaching the man, identified as 30-year-old Tyler Canaris, and telling him to take his backpack off and put his hands behind his back.

Canaris asks, "Excuse me, what am I doing wrong?"

Sheriff's officials say Canaris didn't comply.

In the video, you can hear the deputy saying, "You match the description of someone trying to break into people's cars." Canaris says he was just going to work. In the next moment, in the video, you can see the deputy slamming Canaris on the ground, and then you hear moaning.

"Once the video came out, we made the decision to get the GBI involved and let them look at it and get their unbiased third party opinion on what took place, and if there were any criminal actions that took place in that incident," said Sgt. Henson.

FOX 5 asked sheriff's officials if deputies are trained to use that technique to subdue someone.

"We're aware of the optics of this incident. At this point, because we've turned the case over to the GBI, and there is pending potential civil litigation in the case, we're going to opt not to elaborate on that portion of the case," said Sgt. Henson.

Canarias was rushed to the hospital to be treated for his injuries.

Sheriff's officials say it was later determined he was not breaking into cars, but he was charged with Obstruction of Justice, and is still facing those charges.

McMaster has been with the sheriff's office nine years. He has been put on desk duty while the GBI investigation is underway.