DENVER—Lawyers for a 16-year-old boy filed a lawsuit Thursday against the city and the police department on alleging that he was beaten by five police officers last month.
One officer from the gang unit, 40-year-old Charles Porter, was arrested on suspicion of felony assault in connection with the alleged beating of Juan Vasquez. But the lawsuit, filed in Denver District Court, claims that four other unidentified officers were also involved.
Denver public safety manager Al LaCabe declined to comment on the lawsuit because he said the case was still being investigated.
According to the suit, the alleged attack happened on the night of April 18 after Vasquez ran from officers who suspected he was drinking alcohol.
The suit claims that one officer threatened to shoot Vasquez in the back when he ran away and then threw a flashlight at him so hard that is shattered when it struck him. That officer also allegedly jumped on Vasquez’s back and punched him on the side of the head before Porter and three other officers started striking and kicking Vasquez.
The suit claims the incident is the result of the police department’s inadequate training and failure to discipline officers.
