A University student who claims he was unjustly detained and assaulted by University police on Wednesday says he plans to take legal action.
Officers claim mistaken identity caused the incident.
While playing the popular fighting game “Tekken III” in the Coffman Union game room, agriculture senior Jon Frederick said officer Kurt Hallstrom approached him in plainclothes and put his arm around him.
Hallstrom then allegedly said “Hi, Jonathan,” thinking Frederick was a habitual trespasser who is also named Jonathan, before pushing Frederick between two video games.
“He resembled him incredibly,” said University Police Chief Joy Rikala. “He very closely looked like the other man.”
“I was thinking he wanted to start a fight with me,” Frederick said. He also said Hallstrom and Officer David Wilske did not immediately show him their badges or tell him they were police officers.
University Police Capt. Bruce Troupe said he believes the officers did identify themselves.
“The officers acted in good faith,” Troupe said. “It was a case of mistaken identity.”
Rikala said Frederick became belligerent while he was between the video games. Frederick said at that point the officers threatened to mace him.
University sophomore Sam Museus witnessed the incident while playing pool. “I saw them between the video games and there was a bunch of screaming,” Museus said. “And then I saw the cop with a can of mace saying Do you want to get hosed?'”
Frederick said he eventually complied as the officers put him face down on the floor. Frederick said Hallstrom kneeled on his back, handcuffed him, then placed him under arrest for trespassing.
“The terrible thing is that they didn’t tell me they were police officers until then,” Frederick said.
Rikala said the officers never arrested Frederick.
Frederick added that when the officers picked him up, they ripped his winter jacket.
The officers then stood Frederick against a wall, but he refused to stay facing the wall and kept turning around. He said officers repeatedly yelled for him to turn back to the wall.
Museus said he heard Frederick, who is black, say “you fucking white people,” to the officers.
“He pulled out my ID when I was against the wall,” Frederick said. “One of the officers said, Shit.'”
Frederick said when the officers realized they had the wrong Jonathan, they took off the handcuffs and apologized.
Frederick said Wilske told him he was “very, very sorry” and that the jacket would be replaced.
Officers offered to drive Frederick to the hospital, but he took an ambulance. Frederick said his back was injured when Hallstrom kneeled on him.
Frederick was at the hospital for four hours getting his back examined. He said his back is a little swollen.
Rikala said she is sending a letter of apology to Frederick and will pay for his hospital bills and the ripped jacket but called it a “non-incident.”
“It may be a non-incident,” Frederick said. “But it doesn’t solve the problem of their negligence. It isn’t sufficient enough for them just to pay for my stuff.”