This archive report was first published on 5 August 2020.
On August 2, 2020, a Black family, including two children, was handcuffed by Aurora police officers in a mistaken stolen-car stop in Aurora, Colorado. The incident was recorded on a widely shared video and is now under investigation.
Chief Vanessa Wilson of the Aurora Police Department apologized for the incident, stating that the officers made a 'mistake' during the stop. The department is investigating and reviewing training, and Chief Wilson offered to provide therapy for the children who may have been traumatized.
According to Chief Wilson, the officers were notified of a possible stolen vehicle through a license plate reader, which gave them the license plate number and a description of the S.U.V. However, it was later determined that the vehicle had been cleared of any wrongdoing months earlier.
Chief Wilson acknowledged that the officers should have verified the information about the stolen vehicle and that they also made a mistake in allowing the children to remain on the ground during the stop.
The incident has sparked further outrage at the Aurora police, who have been the focus of large protests in the city this summer. The police department has a history of controversy, including the firing of three officers in July over photographs that showed them mocking the death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old massage therapist who died after being arrested and placed in a chokehold.
