Phoenix Police Report Tells A Different Story Than Video Footage Of Officers Holding A Family At Gunpoint
A video went viral earlier this week showing a shocking altercation in Phoenix, Arizona, involving a family of four and several police officers. The disturbing event all started because a 4-year-old girl allegedly walked out of a Dollar Tree store while still clutching a Barbie doll. The child’s father, 22-year-old Dravon Ames, and his pregnant fiancee, Iesha Harper, reportedly didn’t realize the little girl still had the doll in her hands as they walked out of the store.
They were approached by Phoenix police who wasted no time in pulling guns on the whole family, including Harper, who was still holding the couple’s baby, according to The Phoenix New Times.
A witness on the scene recorded a shocking video of what transpired next and it’s disturbing to say the least.
“I’m gonna put a f***ing cap in your f***ing head. You’re gonna f***ing get shot! Put your f***ing hands up,” Phoenix police officer Christopher Meyer can be heard yelling at Ames, despite the fact that Ames is clearly not resisting in the video.
“My hands are up! My hands are up,” he tries to tell them, only to be shoved down and handcuffed.
Another officer approaches the car where Harper is sitting with two young children. She is instructed to exit the vehicle, which she does while still holding her infant daughter. The officer then tries to force her to put her baby down. She tries to convince him that she cannot put the infant down as she is too young to walk. Eventually she passes the child to a stranger present on the scene.
The family is now suing the city for $10 million for what has been deemed an inappropriate use of power and extreme overreaction. Many have expressed their horror over the incident.
A Phoenix couple is seeking $10 million from the city after a video showed police officers drawing a gun on them after their 4-year-old daughter allegedly stole a doll from a store. https://t.co/0DJ0whugwn pic.twitter.com/T9QCgE4vP1
— CNN (@CNN) June 15, 2019
Curiously, the report that the Phoenix police officers filed following the incident doesn’t match up with what actually occurs in the video. Not only does the report have the incorrect date, but it leaves out important details.
The report does not state that Meyer threw Ames to the ground, handcuffed him, kicked him, while yelling expletives and threatening his life. The report does not state he pointed a gun at a family, or grabbed an infant by the arm to pull her away from her mother.
Within the claim the family filed against the city, they state that the way the officer pulled at the infant actually caused injury.
“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,” the statement read.
