COLORADO SPRINGS — Police are investigating a report by a black man who said he was surrounded by four officers with guns drawn then handcuffed after a security guard reported him as a possible car thief in Colorado Springs.
The probe was opened Tuesday in response to a request by the American Civil Liberties Union regarding the May 6 incident, The Gazette reported.
Matthew Talley, 21, said he lost his keys, got inside his 1984 Chevrolet Caprice Classic with the help of a locksmith and was trying to start it with a butter knife when he heard a knock on his window and looked up to see the armed officers.
He said he put up his hands, got out of his car and was pushed to the ground, handcuffed and frisked.
“Because of my race and because of the person I am, being a larger African-American, that’s why they put in full force,” said Talley, who stands 6-foot-4. “I realized that the system is flawed and we need to do something to fix it because innocent people like myself are at stake.”
Police spokeswoman Lt. Catherine Buckley confirmed that police opened an internal investigation after getting a letter from the ACLU.
She said no previous complaint was made about the incident.
