What Happened To Marcus Evans? Black Man Sues San Diego PD After Violent Arrest
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A Black man is suing the San Diego Police Department after he was shot with beanbag rounds and bitten by a police dog during an arrest last month.
According to Fox 5 San Diego, the incident occurred on Oct 24 at a home in in Valencia Park. Police showed up at the residence responding to a report of a man threatening a woman with a gun, according to SDPD.
Police say that after they arrived at the home, they called for the suspect, who was later identified as 31-year-old Marcus Evans. Police claim Evans was “repeatedly ordered” to surrender but did not. After shooting Evans with the non-lethal bean bag rounds, officers let their K-9 loose on Evans.
“I don’t know why they used this force and I think that is a burning question for the community to know. Why was this type of force used and applied on this person at this time,” Evans’ lawyer, Dante Pride, told FOX 5/KUSI.
The video captured of the incident paints a different story than the one initially told by the police.
In the video, Marcus Evans can be seen walking out of the house without shoes or a shirt, holding his hands up and complying with officers.
“I have no gun,” Evans told the officers while his hands were in the air. Evans then sat down on a ledge in front of the home with his hands still in the air.
Officers then shot Evans with beanbag rounds, hitting him in the abdomen and causing him to fall to the ground in visible pain, according to Fox 5.
Cops can be heard shouting, “We said hands,” as Evans lays on the ground in obvious agony. Evans can then be heard asking officers, “Why did you shoot me?”
A few moments later, Evans sits up with his hands still in the air. Officers then shoot Evans with a second round of beanbags and release the K-9 on the unarmed Black man. The dog appears to bite Evans as he can be heard pleading, “Stop please.”
When officers place Evans in handcuffs, he can be heard saying, “I can’t feel my hand, please stop.”
According to police, Evans was transported to a local hospital for injuries sustained to his arm, stomach, chest, groin and shin. He was later charged with assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest.
The charges were ultimately dropped, but the damage had already been done. According to Evans’ lawyer, due to his injuries, he was forced to leave his job in construction, a job he was just recently granted.
“I’m hurt, I’m devastated. It’s deep, the wound is very deep,” Evans’ mother, Glenda Evans, said during a press conference last week. “I hope no other child, no other Black male — anybody, I don’t care what their color is … I hope no one ever has to go through this type of injustice again.”
The lawsuit claims Evans was no threat to police at all.
“Despite posing absolutely zero threat to officers, SDPD officers inexplicably decided to deploy multiple attacks of force … in contravention of both SDPD’s training policies and POST standards,” the claim, filed by Pride on behalf of Evans, reads. “This misconduct resulted in serious and traumatic injuries to (Evans).” POST, short for the state’s Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, certifies California law enforcement officers and sets training standards.
In the meantime, the family waits for justice, hoping Evans will get the justice he deserves.
“We’re trying to get through this,” Glenda said. “It’s a long road to healing and recovery.”
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