A video of Phoenix police officers threatening a black family and holding them at gunpoint has gone viral on social media.
*Explicit language below
What We Know:
- On May 29th, Dravon Ames (22), his pregnant fiancée Aisha Harper (24), and their two young daughters were threatened at gunpoint by four Phoenix police officers. Apparently, the officers were responding to the accusation that Ames’ daughter had stolen a $0.99 doll from a Dollar Store.
- The Phoenix Police Department refused to release the names of the officers in the video but activist Shaun King was able to find the information. He tweeted the names and badge numbers of the officers involved. Christopher Meyer is the main officer seen in the video screaming and threatening the family. Meyer repeatedly stated “I’m going to fucking put a cap in your fucking head!” and “You’re gonna fucking get shot!”
- Officer Meyer wrote his report of the incident but his account of the incident is drastically different from what is seen in the video. Meyer fails to mention that he held the family at gunpoint. He leaves out the part about kicking Ames in the leg when he had him handcuffed. He also neglected to mention that he told Harper to put her child on the ground so that she could put her hands up. The officers were not wearing body cameras during the encounter.
- The family filed a claim against the City of Phoenix for $10 million on June 13th. Jay Z has reached out and offered to pay for legal representation for the family during this ordeal.
- Jay Z hired Alex Spiro, a high profile attorney known for defending celebrities. Spiro has worked with people like Bobby Schmurda and Matt Barnes.
- Dania Diaz, Roc Nation Managing Director of Philanthropy, released a statement on behalf of the company. “There is no place for that behavior in our world – let alone our justice system – and we are calling for the immediate termination of the police officers in question. We are committed to supporting the family to ensure justice is served.”
- Jeri Williams, the Phoenix Police Chief, released a video on Facebook in regards to the incident. She advised that she is “disturbed by the language and actions of our officers”. This is the second video Chief Williams has to release in regards to the Phoenix PD. The previous video was a response to a database that had accused several Phoenix PD officers of making racist Facebook posts.
Details are still developing on this story as we wait to see if appropriate action will be taken against the officers.
