Mpls. Man: Police Beat Me For Gun, Despite My Permit
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - A Minneapolis man says he was beaten by police as he left a downtown nightclub.
Zachary King says he was walking to his car when police noticed his gun in his waist band. He claims he told police he had a permit to carry, but they still attacked him.
King suffered a concussion after five officers beat him on Father's Day night. King says video of the assault was taken by a bystander. He says it all started when police noticed a bulge near his waist band.
"I have my conceal and carry, and it's my gun. And soon as I said that he grabbed me by my neck, slammed me against the wall, snatched my gun out the holster, started waving it in the air saying 'gun, gun, gun,'" said King.
King says he made no sudden moves, nor said anything disrespectful.
"Then four other officers just came and slammed me on my face, one of the officers had me by my head just banging it on the sidewalk," he said.
King says officers eventually went for his back pocket and his wallet to get his weapons permit.
"And he goes like this to show them that I have my card and they stopped beating me," said King.
King was then taken to the hospital before his last stop, jail.
King's attorney, Mike Patton, says his client was arrested, jailed and not charged for recording police back in April that allegedly showed abuse of power.
"He has zero criminal record, zero," said Mike Patton.
He was also acquitted of manslaughter in 2008 after his pit bull mauled to death his 7-year-old son.
"It takes a lot of courage to come forward in this type of situation. He doesn't want to see this happen to other people," said Patton.
Patton says police had no probable cause to do anything to his client.
He says he is working with internal affairs and hopes that street video from Minneapolis Police cameras will back up his clients claim.
We reached out to Minneapolis Police for comment on King's accusations. Police say because there is an open civilian review authority investigation, and they cannot comment.
