The Vancouver police officers who repeatedly Tasered a former university football player during a stop for jaywalking are under investigation for their conduct that night.

Jamiel Moore-Williams, 22, was walking along the Granville Strip after a night out with friends in early February. At the time, he told CTV Vancouver that he had crossed the street, against the light, to avoid a stranger throwing rocks at passersby. That’s when he was stopped by police.

In cellphone video recorded by one of his friends, Moore-Williams can be seen offering his identification to the officers before they pull him to the ground and Taser him multiple times.

The Vancouver Police Department claimed Moore-Williams became “increasingly argumentative” during the altercation and that he tried to put one of the officers into a headlock. The department also said the fitness trainer and former defensive end for the UBC Thunderbirds gave officers the middle finger when he jaywalked in front of them.

However, B.C.’s police complaint commissioner has questioned the department’s account of events and ordered an investigation under the Police Act. Deputy Police Complaint Commissioner Rollie Woods told CTV Vancouver that the officers’ explanation doesn’t align with the cellphone video of the incident.

“It’s alleged that he choked one of the officers, that’s not evident in the video we saw, so if there is more video we’d like to see it,” Woods said.

Donna Turko, Moore-Williams’ lawyer, said that’s the only video of the arrest she’s aware of at this time.

Woods said that his office has also asked the RCMP to see if there was any excessive use of force during the takedown. The Vancouver police are also conducting an internal investigation into the case.

Moore-Williams is fighting two counts of obstruction of justice and a ticket for jaywalking, his lawyer said.

None of the allegations have been tested in court.

With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Jon Woodward

A former university football player is claiming he was racially profiled by Vancouver police when he was stopped for jaywalking, arrested, and Tasered during the altercation.

Jamiel Moore-Williams told CTV Vancouver that he was crossing the street against the light on the Granville Strip early Sunday morning to avoid a stranger throwing rocks at passersby when police stopped him for jaywalking.

The 6’4”, 250-pound, former defensive end for the UBC Thunderbirds can be seen on cellphone video captured by a friend questioning the officers.

“Because I’m black crossing the street,” Moore-Williams can be heard telling the police in the video.

The situation escalates when multiple officers are then shown pulling the 22-year-old former football player to the ground. One officer fires a Taser at Moore-Williams at least three times according to the footage.

Moore-Williams was taken to hospital and spent most of the day in custody on Sunday. He said he’s angry about what happened.

“I’m a big black male crossing the street and they [the police officers] acted out of fear rather than doing their job. What are they scared of?” Moore-Williams said on Monday.

The Vancouver Police Department denied the former football player was stopped because of his race and told CTV Vancouver in a statement that it was because he jaywalked in front of a marked police car.

“Our officers honked their horn to get the man’s attention. The man turned, looked directly at the marked police car, raised both hands and middle-fingered the police officers,” the statement said.

Police said the man refused to identify himself and he became “increasingly argumentative.”

Moore-Williams was given a ticket for jaywalking and charged with obstruction of justice.

None of the charges have been tested in court.

With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Jon Woodward