A family is suing the City of Phoenix for $10 million after police officers were caught on video using what the family believes is excessive force.
Per AZ Central:
Dravon Ames, 22, and his pregnant fiancée, 24-year-old Aisha Harper were pulled over by Phoenix police near 36th and Roosevelt streets on May 27. They allege police pointed a gun at their children, threatened them and physically harmed Ames and their daughter all because the child took a doll from a dollar store.
The notice of claim, which was filed Thursday, says the police officers committed battery, unlawful imprisonment, false arrest and infliction of emotional distress in addition to violating their civil rights.
In order to settle the case, the family’s lawyer, former Attorney General Tom Horne, has requested $2.5 million per family member for a sum of $10 million.
The video of the family’s encounter with overzealous Phoenix police officers surfaced on social media earlier this week, triggering outrage and tremendous backlash from those who’ve watched it.
Is all that really necessary over a 4-year-old child walking out of a store with a doll?
“We’re talking about a little doll that’s worth maybe $5 and the horrors that came from the overreaction to that,” Horn said.
The Phoenix New Times reports that the family suffered a number of physical injuries from the encounter. Ames alleges that he was punched in the back after his face was slammed against a police car, and the family claims their 1-year-old child suffered injuries after police attempted to yank the child out of Harper’s arms.
“The first officer grabbed the mother and the baby around both of their necks, and tried to take the baby out of the mother’s hand,” the notice of claim states. “He told her to put the baby on the ground, which she was unwilling to do because the baby could not walk, and the ground consisted of hot pavement.”
“The first officer pulled the baby by the arm to get her away from the mother, which injured the arm, in a condition known as ‘dead arm.’ Island [the couple’s 1-year-old child] has been having nightmares and wetting her bed, which she has not done before this incident,” the claim continues.
Thus far, police have refused to identify the officers involved as their investigation is underway.