A Melbourne, Florida police officer involved in the mistaken detention of a 15-year-old boy who suffered a broken arm after being tackled by officers has resigned from the department, newly released public records show.
Officer William Markle resigned effective July 9, 2026, according to a Personnel Order signed the following day by Melbourne Police Chief David Gillespie. The one-page order lists the action simply as a resignation from his patrol position and provides no explanation for his departure.
Markle was one of three officers who responded to a June 24 report of a missing runaway teenager. Instead of locating the missing child, officers mistakenly detained another 15-year-old, Judah, who had been helping the runaway’s mother search for her child, according to the family’s attorney.
Body camera footage
Body camera footage released by the family’s lawyer shows officers confronting the teenager with weapons drawn and shouting profanities.
One officer can be heard yelling, “Get on the f—ing ground. Get on the ground. I will f—ing tase you,” before Judah, who appeared to comply by dropping to his knees with his hands raised, was tackled and handcuffed. Moments later, officers realized they had detained the wrong person.
The footage captures an officer asking, “Are you [the missing child]? No, you’re not,” before the teen replies, “I don’t know what’s going on.”
Teen suffered broken arm
Judah’s family says the takedown left him with a fractured elbow and broken arm, requiring medical treatment. His mother, Angela Sparks Hansen, said the incident has caused both physical injuries and lasting emotional trauma.
“It was absolutely horrific,” Hansen told local media. “This should have never happened. My son should not have a broken elbow.” She said her son has become fearful of police since the incident.
Officers had spoken to the teen earlier
According to civil rights attorney Dan Faherty, officers had already interacted with Judah only minutes before the takedown while everyone was searching for the missing child.
Faherty argued that a closer look at the teenager would have made it obvious he was not the missing juvenile.
“He completely complied,” Faherty said, adding that no officer first asked the boy to identify himself before using force.
