Today, the city of Detroit and one it's police officers are expected to be served with a $25 million lawsuit over the shooting of an unarmed woman.
The woman and her attorney are expected to speak to the media at 10 a.m. this morning. We will stream that press conference at the link below.
Watch Brittany's report below
Tracey Allen was originally stopped for traffic violations. She says that during the traffic stop, she told officers she was scared and asked for a supervisor. Instead, a backup officer showed up before she was pepper-sprayed and shot six times.
Watch our previous coverage
Tracey said in part "I was terrified — I believed I was going to be killed. I kept asking for help and was shot over and over again."
Video from Concord and Outer Drive shows Allen being boxed in by DPD officers, then shot while driving away. Both are policy violations, per Chief Todd Bettison, and part of the reason for the $25 million lawsuit. Allen is seeking damages for physical and emotional trauma, medical expenses, and loss of income.
The defendants, both the officer involved, are being sued for the use of excessive and unconstitutionally deadly force and maintaining a pattern and practice of unconstitutional policing.
Intitally while on scene, Chief Bettison said Tracey refused to give her license and registration, initiating the pursuit. 24 hours later, after gating details and watching footage, the story flipped, as Tracey went from suspect to victim.
“We do not shoot at moving vehicles unless it is an extreme circumstance where life is in jeopardy," Chief Bettison said in October. “She did give her license, she did give her registration, her insurance was on her phone...if a supervisor had been called, I don't think it would've went this way."
That officer was placed on leave for policy violations. They were first suspended with pay, then without after an early November Police Commissioner's Meeting.
We contacted DPD before today's press conference; they told us they do not comment on pending litigation.
