By Sarah Schulte
Allizon Brooks, 40, has filed
suit against the City of Chicago and some police officers after alleging that
he was the victim of police brutality during an incident in 2013.
Brooks, a Chicago resident,
said he was beaten by Chicago police on Jan. 18, 2013, after he stopped by an
Englewood convenience store to buy ice.
"It was real kind of
chaotic when I walked into the store," Brooks said.
What Brooks didn't know is that
he walked into the store minutes after a shooting took place outside. One of
the victims was brought into the store by his friends. Police showed up a short
time later.
Brooks said he was trying to
help the owner calm people down when an officer pushed him, and Brooks said
words were exchanged.
"He grabbed me by the neck
and a lot of officers came around and started punching me, they slammed me into
the ground, a lot of guys were kicking me," Brooks said.
Brooks said he was arrested and
charged with assaulting the same officer that is seen grabbing Brooks by the
neck in the tape. His arrest report says Brooks was preventing other officers
from entering the scene, which Brooks and his lawyer say the videotape proves
is not true.
Brooks was taken to the 7th District
police station, where he remained handcuffed for several hours.
"They wouldn't allow me to
use the restroom even though I asked them multiple times," he said.
The charges against Brooks were
eventually dropped because the officers never showed up at court. Brooks is now
filing suit against the city and five officers.
"The officials' actions
were totally unjustified, considering the situation," said Marc Mayer,
Brooks' attorney.
Brooks said the beating
resulted in temporary hearing loss, a concussion and he has been diagnosed with
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
The City of Chicago's law
department did not respond to calls.
