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Outrage & Apologies After Video Shows Arizona Police Pointing Guns and Yelling at Black Family

HeadlineJun 17, 2019

And in Arizona, Phoenix’s mayor and police chief have both apologized after a video was released showing officers pointing guns and yelling at a black family outside a Family Dollar store, after they say a 4-year-old girl took a doll from the store. The video caused widespread outrage over the weekend. The officers say they were responding to a report of shoplifting when they drew their firearms and started screaming orders, using profane language, at a father, a pregnant woman carrying a baby, and the young girl, who left the store with a doll which was unpaid for.

Police officer: “Get out of the [bleep] car!”

Father: “OK. I’m not doing anything.”

Witness 1: “You recording it?”

Witness 2: “Yeah, I’m recording it.”

Police officer: “Put your hands up.”

Pregnant mother: “I don’t have nothing, officer.”

Police officer: “I don’t give a [bleep]. Put your hands up! Hands up.”

Pregnant mother: “I can’t put my hands up. I have a [bleep] baby in my hands. I can’t. I’m pregnant.”

The woman can be heard saying she is unable to hold her hands up because she is holding a child, and that she is pregnant. The parents say the police officers violated their civil rights, and are filing a $10 million lawsuit.

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