Denver Police Could Face Lawsuit After Police Encounter In Safeway Parking Lot
DENVER (CBS4) - A Denver man is hoping his incident of being profiled by Denver police in May can cause change within the department.
"Once I was told there was guns being pointed at my children, a sense of panic took over," Naphtali Israel said. "I didn't want their lives to be in jeopardy, and I didn't want my life to be snuffed out."
Israel thought he was doing everything right on May 7. He'd taken his three step-daughters to the grocery store in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and when his 2 year old couldn't keep her face mask on he asked all three to take some candy that he paid for out to the car. He went back into the Safeway at 14th Avenue and Krameria Street.
A stranger came to find him and to tell him the police had a gun pointed at the girls.
"They're trying to justify their actions. They're trying to find a way to paint what took place with my little kids as something as normal procedure."
On Wednesday, Israel's attorney released an edited video with the 911 call, HALO camera and body camera footage of the incident. The original 911 call was for a Black man in a hooded sweatshirt sitting in a car in the supermarket's parking lot.
"Is it a crime for a Black male to sit in his vehicle with a firearm? No it's not a crime. That was not the case," Israel said. "Because you heard 'Black male, 911 call, weapon.' This is the type of posturing you took to draw your weapon immediately as you approach this vehicle."
In body camera footage, police are heard asking Israel to stop in the parking lot and put his hands up. He asks, "Why do I have to stop?" And an officer can be heard responding, "Because we have a call that you have a gun."
Israel's attorney, David Lane, says based off the 911 call no crime had been reported. Lane also believes the incident wouldn't have occurred if the 911 call was for a white man. He's considering a use-of-force and equal protection civil rights lawsuit.
"If the police pulling their weapon out on children is doing their job, then they should be ashamed of themselves," Israel said.
Over the past month, he and his wife have been working to find help for the three girls who were traumatized by the incident. His 7 year old has had nightmares about being shot by police.
"This situation is now going to shape their outlook on how they feel about police officers," Israel said.
Lane told CBS4 Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen has agreed to a meeting with Israel.
"Discrimination inside the police department, it needs to change. It's time for new results. It's time for a change. A black man shopping with his children, he should not have to come out of the store and have officers pointing guns at his children," Israel said. "It's definitely a problem with racism in the police department and it needs to be addressed and it needs to be addressed in a manner where there's going to be change."
Watch CBS4's complete interview with Division Chief Ron Thomas about the incident in the video clip above.
